The Interpreter (2005, DVD)

Even when you're faced with bringing to life an idea you don't particularly care for, you still are prone to the occasional flash of brilliance. A movie like The Interpreter strikes me as the type of movie nobody writes because they want to. Because they are hired to, maybe. But it doesn't mean there aren't some magically delicious nuggets of wisdom just waiting to be chomped on here.

For instance, you might want somebody gone, but it doesn't necessarily mean you want them dead. Voila, a misinterpretation (and incidentally, a kind of "catch phrase" of the movie). "Countries have gone to war because they misinterpreted one another" could've been a fitting tagline for The Interpreter, but then if you prefer showing to telling, look no further than Crimson Tide.

What you got here, outside of a hodgepodge of political mumbo-jumbo, is a tedious tale of an interpreter (Nicole Kidman) who thinks she has just nosed in on a plan to assassinate a visiting President Zuwanie. And with that, Tobin Keller (Sean Penn) is brought in to protect her. You know, 'cause the bad guys don't like when people are in on their agendas and stuff.

So anyway, if you know Jimmy from Mystic River, you pretty much know Mr. Keller. Poor guy's all alone, he lost his wife no more than two weeks ago, and he's brooding. It's hardly a play against type, but there's no denying Penn is in his element with this kind of character. He does smile a lot more in this one.

Who knew Nicole Kidman could be creepy? It's not the same woman you just saw in the Bewitched trailer, that's for sure. She has an entangling gaze that begs you to think there's something going on with her behind the curtains.

Catherine Keener has a side role as Penn's sort-of sidekick, but she's about as interesting as a news reporter whose name is not April O'Neil.

The first five minutes are strangely fascinating, as for at least an hour you'll wonder what that has to do with the rest of the movie. It is a disarming scene in which those who are sensitive to the school shooting ordeals might get a bit sore. It's not kids getting shot, but it is kids doing the shooting.

There is quite a bit of exposition that beats around the subject of death (of others, mostly) and the ways that people go about confronting it in life. There are a few good jokes; Kidman makes a crack before her polygraph test that gave me a good chuckle. And then there's this strange fixation with subtly making fun of the name "Kuman-Kuman". Maybe 'cause he likes White Castle, I don't know.

Much ado has been made about this being the first movie to be filmed inside the United Nations HQ. Strangely, as little as I cared about that, it was surprising what a beautiful place it really is in there. Some of the UN staff actually participate as extras in the film. Penn's line, "Come on down to Mexico" is particularly well-timed also.

As if you couldn't tell, The Interpreter is not really my "type" of movie and so maybe I'm not as qualified as some others to tell you whether or not you could gain anything from viewing it. But if you are the type that doesn't delve too deeply in the political waters or has trouble remembering names, you might want to steer clear. The longish 128-minute running time might also be a deterrent. But that's just my interpretation.