それは大きい映画だったかもしれない

Let me translate for you. That's Japanese for "It could have been a great movie." So is the case with The Interpreter. What starts out as a great film eventually fizzles into a ho-hum thriller. You know the kind - the one that stars Morgan Freeman and some B-list Hollywood starlet. Instead, Sydney Pollack's latest film boasts two of the industry's best in Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. Not unlike after 150 pages of The Da Vinci Code, about an hour into the film you get the feeling that it is going to be one of the best films of the year. But whereas Dan Brown delivers on his intricate plot setup, Pollack is unable to rein in his plot to produce a satisfying conclusion.

Most reviews I've read claim that Kidman and Penn give great performances that carry the film much farther than it would have gone starring say, Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd. I agree that Kidman is excellent in the film's title role, but Penn's performance seemed contrived and clunky. I won't say too much more for fear of spoiling the ending, but suffice to say I leaned over to Ashley and whispered, "Aw, c'mon," as Penn delivered the film's final lines.

One of the most impressive aspects of the film was seeing the interiors of the United Nations building, but I'd also say the decor is due for a renovation. Completed in 1952, the building definitely shows it's age. The Interpreter is the first film to be shot inside the U.N. Headquarters and because of the unprecedented access, many have speculated that Pollack was restricted to providing a somewhat myopic view of the U.N. and its role in the world.

Unless you're dying to see a movie in the theater this weekend, I recommend waiting for the DVD release. Or better yet, waiting for the film version of The Da Vinci Code - a thriller with plot that will actually thrill you.

Note: I don't speak Japanese, but can use Alta Vista's Babel Fish.