the interpreter

another rainy day – another movie. and since we had decided on hollywood drama over foreign film artiness we saw ‘the interpreter’ with nicole kidman and sean penn caught in web of international intrigue. an imaginary african nations leader naturally is being accused of genocide when he decides to give a speech at the united nations where a failed assassination is planned to give the man credibility. an interpreter overhears a conversation regarding the plan- and naturally her life is now in danger with sean penn playing the cop who protects her. now if only it were as action packed as that storyline promises. instead we have a personal drama around the two central characters who have lost their families constantly being enlightened by strange african rituals and myths and a self-consciously serious attempt at a political drama about power. it does not work at all. if you want to make an action film do it with bruce willis and blazing guns, and if you want to make a film about the politics of africa why do it through a convoluted storyline whose central character is a gorgeous white woman who happens to be a citizen of a non existent african state currently living in new york city who ends up being the ex-girlfriend of a revolutionary leader.