Review: "The Interpreter"

Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman star together in The Interpreter (PG-13), still in theatres. The political thriller directed by Sydney Pollack is about a United Nations interpreter from Africa, played by Kidman, who overhears an assassination plot. Sean Penn is the secret service agent hired to investigate and protect her. The film generates a fair amount of interest and the suspense is done rather well. A scene on a bus is absolutely gripping. The film’'s major weakness is its excess baggage, like unneeded character subplots. While it offers connection points for the two leads, this often slows the film down unnecessarily. Overall, though, this movie is a must-see.