Silvia Broome (Nicole), a U.N. interpreter, has a lot of secrets, which are slowly revealed as Secret Service Agent Tobin Keller (Sean) tries to find out who wants to kill President Zuwanie (Earl), President of Matobo, South Africa. A plot to eliminate a ranking official, the Secret Service and a mysterious witness should equal great suspense and action, especially with such extraordinary actors at the helm. Unfortunately, what The Interpreter turns out to be is an emotional, slow shell of what could have been.

Silvia overhears an after-hours, whispered conversation on the U.N. floor that sounds like an assassination plot to kill President Zuwanie who is planning a trip to speak at the U.N. to refute rumors of genocide in his country. Silvia reports it and soon becomes more of a suspect than victim as it is discovered that she is a citizen of Matobo and hates the once-loved President. Dead bodies began to show up and attempts are made on Silvia’s life. Still, she refuses to be forthcoming about her past. Tobin’s job is to figure out what is going on with Silvia and potential plot Of course, it would have been hard for Tobin to really focus on this mystery as he is too caught up in his own emotional mire. For half of the movie, he is near tears, crying or sharing some personal information with the witness. For God’s sakes!! Who wants a SS agent who whimpers? No emotion. Just take the bullet.

With much potential, The Interpreter, failed on many levels. The pace is extremely slow and with the exception of a really good bus scene, the film lacks plausible tension. Also missing, is a credible connection between the two psychologically damaged main characters, who both bear striking resemblances to characters gone by. Nicole seems to be hanging on to some of The Hours depression and Sean is caught in the fringes of 21 Grams and Mystic River.

Adding insult to movie injury is the fact that the bad guy is obvious from the first moment on screen. This movie should have been more dramatic and exciting, less sensitive and lackluster. It was disappointing.