{ The Interpreter (2005). }

[delga]

The chatty part of this post was originally equal in length to the picspam itself, but I've reduced it to bullets so that y'all don't get bored before you get to the pictures. (Alternatively y'all can skip straight to them, but I'm going to be a little chatty for a little longer.) Things I feel you should know about this film:

- I love this film. Like. A LOT. I've seen it at least 10 times in the past four years
- the scenes set in the UN were filmed on location
- Catherine Keener is a bit of a sideshow but she is WONDERFUL as Dot Woods
- the chemistry between Nicole Kidman (Silvia Broome) and Sean Penn (Tobin Keller) is what drives this film
- this is not a typical thriller, mostly because the pace slacks off every now and then so that Kidman and Penn can fight it out
- Sydney Pollack referred to these sections as arias (in reference to operatic movements); I have always thought of them as pas de deux
- the film is just beautiful to look at; ironically, it reminds me of The Peacemaker
- that said, The Interpreter is all about internal spaces, so there are loads of shots of rooms and corridors. Even external shots are tightly packed
- moreover, there are mirrors everywhere; ooh, symbolic duplicity! AWESOME
- I cry every time I hear Nicole Kidman's line: that little boy was my country. Oh gosh
- the only thing I have done to alter these caps is to crop and re-size them; all the colouring is from the film's palette as is
- I know: it's fucking STUNNING in a rather understated way
- the ending is perfect, just absolutely perfect
- I started watching this again last night because I was going to write some fic. Obviously, that hasn't happened.

ON TO THE SPAM! ON TO THE SPAM! Spoilers, naturally.

vengeance is a lazy form of grief

She wouldn't tell me her husband's name. She wouldn't even write it.

The Teacher says good day to you.

[translating from Ku] Dr. Zuwanie is an educator. He is... our teacher. But his opponents engage in evermore ferocious acts. The partisans of both Kuman-Kuman and Ajene Xola have become... terrorists.

Silvia: Listen, I'm scared, and my protector is some one who doesn't believe me.
Keller: You don't look scared.

Silvia: So you're not here to offer me any protection whatsoever?
Keller: No, Ma'am.
Silvia: And we were getting along so well.

That means we have to return them in the same condition or we don't get our money back.

Silvia: When will I know the results?
Keller: Straight away. You know when you're lying don't you?

Is that you? Can you tell me what somebody like you, who uses the word "diplomacy" like she's chastising me is doing at a rebel rally?

Why would somebody take a picture and type the names of everyone in it on the back? This is a death list. The question you should be asking is 'who gave me this, and why?'

The Ku believe that if the family lets the killer drown, they'll have justice but spend the rest of their lives in mourning. But if they save him, if they admit that life isn't always just... that very act can take away their sorrow.

We don't name the dead.

Silvia: We're Kapéla. It means standing on opposite sides of the river.
Keller: You've got to give me a reason to get to the other side.

An almost-assassinated leader gets so much credibility, so he can stay in power and gets to stick around to enjoy it.

You can't do that. You cannot do that. How the hell am I supposed to protect you if I don't know where you are?

Silvia: What do you do when you can't sleep?
Keller: I stay awake.

You think that not getting caught in a lie is the same thing as telling the truth.

They're not our family, and they're not our friends. You told me that.

You lose somebody, then you lose somebody. I don't want to lose two somebodies.

My brother... my brother was right. It takes too long, Tobin. I'm going home.

This is how you put down a gun.

The gunfire around us makes it hard to hear. But the human voice is different from other sounds. It can be heard over noises that bury everything else. Even when it's not shouting. Even when it's just a whisper. Even the lowest whisper can be heard—over armies... when it's telling the truth.

That little boy was my country.

Hove Vambi... killed by land-mines. Alexander Mungoshi... Charles Kufomo... Ruth Kufomo... shot to death defending their home. Robert Chenjari... Benita Matkudzi... burned to death during a protest rally. Edgar Sakuro... Masumi Bamcha... John Enkumo... Yvon Enkumo...

G.A. President: Let the record show...
Silvia: Steven Gawanda...

G.A. President: ...that the Security Council...
Silvia: Solo Gawanda...

G.A. President: ...has unanimously commanded...
Silvia: Steven Shamere...

G.A. President: ...that President Zuwanie of Matobo...
Silvia: Stambuli Watiku... Esther Tikembu...

G.A. President: ...be tried at the lnternational Criminal Court in The Hague... for crimes against humanity.

Simon Broome... shot to death in a soccer stadium.

We're not Kapéla any more.

Comments

[dreamer-86.livejournal.com]

First off; OMG what a picspam! I take it you really like this movie, ey? ;)

I remember when this movie was released; I could hardly wait to see it. Took me about two years but I finally watched it on TV somewhere in 2007. In the past few years, I've started to like Nicole Kidman movies and I'm making a habit out of watching them depending on the storyline of course. (Just finished watching Cold Mountain actually.) I however can't remember the ending of The Interpreter... you say it's absolutley perfect, but chances are we might disagree about that. Any chance you can summarize the ending for me? (Weird request, I know.)

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

lol, YES. Every now and I then I just watch it again. I love it. And it's weird because I was never the hugest Kidman fan (I like her more now than I used to) and this is the only thing I've seen Sean Penn in, so.

Cold Mountain is brilliant; I really loved that film, although I wanted to slap Jude Law around the house.

I meant the tone of the end of the film - they're still in mourning for their loved ones, but Silvia has been kicked out of the UN and is heading back to Motobo, and Keller names his wife (for the first time in the whole film). I liked it a lot because it's a little awkward and the film didn't suggest that now that the action was over, the emotional fall-out was over too. That's not how life works, and the film doesn't kid you about that. Then there's that lovely moment when Keller reaches out for Silvia and she reluctantly turns back to see him.

I also really love the voicing of the dead.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this movie, a lot. I watched it for a class but nevertheless was blown away at how it was presented. It kept me captivated, interested, and I liked the overall outcome of the movie. Very powerful, like you said not a typical thriller by normal standards but the suspense was there.

Also, I liked Nicole Kidman in this. It's a iffy thing with some of her works for me, but this I felt she did an extraordinary job. You're right, her and Sean Penn's scenes were very well-done, they played off each other nicely and I don't think it would've been half the film it turned out to be without them. Aside from her performance, on a shallow note I thought she was gorgeous in this film. From her outfits to her hair, just a very endearing appearance.

I should make note to rewatch this again.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

I don't think it would've been half the film it turned out to be without them.
I was thinking this myself. Because there are these great pauses in action and Kidman delivers these speeches which must be a couple of pages long - it's crazy! But I never get bored. If anything, I feel like the pacing of those speeches is so intense that the feeling makes up for the quiet. And I like the quiet, so.

I thought she was gorgeous in this film
Hee, yes. Me too. Her face is so pale in her more anxiety-ridden scenes, but I loved that. The cut of her hair, the tailoring of her clothes - her diction. All precise. All beautiful.

I also think Dot Woods is beautiful in this film in a very understated way. Like, when she comes to tell Keller (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v250/delga_serasca/31Dec08Interpreter/copy64.jpg) that Silvia is ready to be polygraphed and she realises he's been sleeping in his office? And then she quietly mothers him? LOVE THAT. It doesn't really come across in the caps, unfortunately.

[nattysxm.livejournal.com]

You reminded me how much I loved that movie. I've got to watch it again! I have just seen Australia and Nicole Kidman was great in it! And it is interesting because the Aborigene have the same way with the Dead, they never speak their names again once their loved ones are dead. It comes up the the same "No naming the Dead"

thanks for reminding me

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Oh, hopefully I'm going to see that soon! Am tres excited about it.

Pssst, you should watch The Interpreter again! lols.

[agentcat47.livejournal.com]

YAYYAYAYYAYYAYY!!!! I am SO happy to see this. Just like how happy I was when you made icons of it long ago! I've seen it probably as many times as you have. This is one of my favorite movies ever. It's so wonderful and the lines you posted are my favorites. The naming of the dead at the end was incredible. Thank you so much for this! And actually, now that I think of it, it would have been so much fun to be one of the prop designers for this film. I love those journals so much.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

ISN'T THIS FILM THE BEST OMG?! Love it.

It's that last one that gets me - Simon Broome... shot to death in a soccer stadium. OH GOSH.

[agentcat47.livejournal.com]

YES IT IS OMG!!! I need to watch it again. I've been MEANING to watch it again.

Oh goodness, it gets me too. I just loved the way she said it. It was so heartbreaking. I love that Sydney did those artistic shots of the UN. I know they actually built a set, but it wasn't the same and it was hard to work with, so it was fantastic that they were able to shoot this film in the building, but on weekends. I also just love her language of Motobo. It's amazing that a language...I don't know what you would call it, but a place where they study languages in England, I believe, created her language. She said on the DVD that it was like cramming for an exam, because now she doesn't remember any of the language she spoke.

I was reading a couple of your other replies here, and Sean Penn and Catherine Keener do have such amazing chemistry in this film. I noticed that right away, that she did mother him a little bit in that scene in his office. I love that look she gave him before folding his blanket, I believe it was.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I spend ages going through the DVD extras. I'd actually forgotten that Sydney Pollack passed away this year; so sad. The way he talked about parts of this film, for me, was wonderful. Especially the note about the arias. That was great for me, because I was already thinking of those as duets/two steps.

The Ku language! And how it was a mix of Shona and Swahili, with a bit of extra thrown in. She was superbly fluent.

I think Keener and Penn have known each other for a long time. But the character of Dot Woods (Keener) is very, very special because she's played fairly subtly, but I thought she was very significant. In one of the cut scenes, Kidman asks her if she loves Keller, and she says, "Sometimes." I liked how she responded to the question, though I'm glad it was cut because now you can see the love without ever being told.

[agentcat47.livejournal.com]

I love DVD extras so much, because there is so much that you would never know about the film without them. Arias? I forgot what that is! *runs off to watch*

Yes, yes! I also need to mention just how much I adored Kidman's clothing and hair in this movie. She was wearing great designers, but her haaaair!! I love how her hair always looked amazing with all the layers cut in the front even when it was messy. The layers fall around her face so beautifully. I wish I could layer my hair like that, hahaha. Won't work though, my hair's too curly. :( Hehe.

I think they have. I read in a magazine that Penn and Kidman didn't know each other before the movie, but Kidman wanted them to spend time apart during the filming because she wanted their characters to evolve on screen. So when they weren't rehearsing and spending time on set, they didn't meet with each other much outside of work. And it seemed to work well because their relationship was wonderful in the movie and you could see it evolve.

Ooh I loved that deleted scene. I agree, it seems obvious and we understand that from seeing the scenes between Woods and Keller.

Ahh, I'm going to watch this right now! I adore this movie so much!

[etoilefilante.livejournal.com]

I love this film, too! I have to admit I primarily love it for Catherine Keener, because I think she is utterly brilliant and doesn't get nearly enough credit for her amazingness (in this and in other films). I'm a big Sean Penn fan, too. Nicole Kidman I loved in some of her older films such as The Peacemaker (which I saw you make reference to as well, yay!) and I like her in this but don't love her, try as I might. Maybe it's because I don't personally see the chemistry between her and Sean Penn in this; in fact I see far more between him and Catherine Keener - and also because Naomi Watts was offered the part and turned it down so Nicole could have it, and I'm curious as to how that could've gone. But Nicole Kidman is very good, as always. Thanks for posting the pic spam, always good fun reliving a good film!

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

I guess it's a super subjective thing as to whether or not you like one actress over another in a certain role. I'd heard that about Watts (who I adore) and I thought it was actually a better move? I do wonder what she'd have done with the role.

Penn and Keener have chemistry in all the films I've seen them in - like I said in one of the other comments, Keener so wonderfully and silently articulates that she's in love with Penn's character, and she totally breaks my heart. As for Kidman, I felt like this was a role she really filled out. It's funny because for the longest time I had an irrational dislike of her, but I think she really nailed Silvia Broome. And I think that she and Penn really play off one another in a surprising way - the way Keller comes in for an attack and then is forced back by the things that Broome reveals. Oh my. I love this film.