Or does The Interpreter look like it's going to SUCK?
I've seen the preview 20 times now. What is up with Nicole Kidman's voice? Is that supposed to sound real, or like a character voice? Either way, she sounds like she's still on the set of Stepford Wives. "I overheard that they were going to ass-ass-i-nate President Suwami." It's the most stilted-sounding voice and accent I've ever heard. I like her sometimes, but the quotes they get to pepper the preview makes her sound like a jackass.
It looks really bad to me.
David Edelstein (one of my favorite movie reviewers around) seems to agree. Read the first two paragraphs of his review. hahaha "We should be grateful, but we are lowly, imperfect creatures."
You can tell sometimes, from previews, that the movie is a stinker. Sometimes previews lie, and they lie really well. For example: the first time I saw the preview for The Life of David Gale, I got goosebumps. I marked my calendar. I thought: "OH. MY. GOD. I have GOT to see that." A year passed and the damn movie still hadn't opened, and I thought: "Hmm. Something ain't right in the state of Denmark." Then the movie was opened on, like, a Tuesday or something ... obviously the studios trying to make it as invisible as possible. It then received some of the most blistering hostile reviews I have ever read. But damn, it was a fine preview.
You can tell from The Interpreter that the film is bad. Nicole Kidman again with her stick-up-the-ass accent ... "Nations have gone to war because they have misinterpreted one another." But she breaks out every syllable, so she sounds like an automaton. Perhaps she is trying to convey that she is so horrified by what she overheard that for some reason she now feels the need to talk like a shocked robot. I have no idea. Her voice sounds terrible though, whatever her reasoning.
Edelstein mentions the voice as well: "She also has a very peculiar accent.."
Why I love Edelstein? Comments like this: "The Interpreter is stodgy and misshapen. It manages to be both thoroughly confusing and entirely predictable, thanks to a climactic plot twist that you can see limping toward you about an hour before the maudlin hero manages to. "
Also:
"Kidman is excellent, although she's once again upstaged by those locks of hair that hang artfully in her face."
hahaha
Posted by sheilaBut what has she done to her face? Am I just seeing pictures of her still in make-up for Bewitched or something? Does she even look like Nicole Kidman anymore? I do think she is good at what she does but what is going on with her?
Posted by: Carrie at April 22, 2005 8:08 AMHer forehead has become unnaturally high - like the old portraits of Queen Elizabeth, and ... something's up with her eyes. Even when she's smiling, her eyes look terrified.
I am a lunatic, but that is what I see on her face.
I also have liked her very much at times, and admire how she has taken hold of her career - determined to not be in her ex-husband's shadow ... but not sure what's up with her forehead.
Posted by: red at April 22, 2005 8:22 AMNo it's not just you. I've seen some of the previews and some of the interviews and I'm staying the hell away from this movie. Nothing about it makes me even consider going to see it.
"Leaden" is about the best description I can think of for my impressions of this movie so far.
There was a preview in one paper I read that spotted references in the script to Three Days of the Condor.. not a good idea on Sydney's part, IMHO, to be deliberately inviting comparisons.
Posted by: peteb at April 22, 2005 8:22 AM"Kidman, Penn and Pollack, how could that fail?", thinks the movie studio.
"too bloated" (from Edelstein) is the first thing that I thought of hearing about the movie's plot and the names associated with the picture.
I'll bet Kidman is using an Afrikaner accent which most people (including me) don't hear that much. Most white South Africans don't have this accent and, in my opinion, have a very slight accent that almost sounds Australian (e.g. Gary Player, Ernie Els. Charlize Theron, I rarely hear out of character so not sure about her)
Posted by: JFH at April 22, 2005 10:46 AMJFH - Hm, since somehow she's involved with a genocidal African dictator then the Afrikaner accent choice would make sense. I just thought she was trying to NOT sound Australian. It certainly sounds stilted and forced, not like a natural voice at all.
Posted by: red at April 22, 2005 11:28 AMstrangely enough i have several friends who are Afrikaaners and they all sound like that..loke they are avoiding sounding Australian..its a very formal accent...im bummed to read ur observations..last night Chrisanne and i just decided to see the movie on Sunday...we have a very small overlap window of movies..so what else is out there?? Help..followers of Sheila..help! I like the small indie(read disturbing) films..and she's a sci-fi blockbuster gal...Mildred Pierce is at the Music Box..does that count?
Posted by: Mitchell at April 22, 2005 12:25 PMRoger Ebert gave it a good review, though, Mitchell ... but I don't always trust him, if you know what I mean. Judging from the preview, it looks dumb.
Mildred Pierce at the Music Box??? You have to go!
There's the new Todd Solondz movie out (for your indie-film pleasure) "Palindromes" - has gotten interesting lukewarm reviews.
Have you seen the new Woody Allen yet? I haven't - but I really want to.
As for sci-fi, I'm not sure. Does Amityville Horror count? It looks RI-KONK-ULOUS but it might be enjoyable, in a campy way.
I so want to go see Mildred Pierce at the Music Box with you guys!!
Posted by: red at April 22, 2005 12:28 PMi know...if Alex were here it would be a definite..Chrisanne hates Woody Allen and she shoot me in my sleep if i made her watch a Todd Solondz film...maybe tht kids movie Millions..anyone seen it? great reviews. I agree about Ebert..i love his writing but i dont always agree...alos the midnight movie at the MB is Tommy..so bad but sooo good!! wish you were here! Jump on aplane for a Joan Crawford/Ann-Margaret weekend! Come one Come all!
Posted by: Mitchell at April 22, 2005 12:36 PMIs Kung Fu Hustle completely out of the question? It looks like so much fun.
Posted by: red at April 22, 2005 12:38 PMgood idea!!!!! Thats perfect!
Posted by: Mitchell at April 22, 2005 12:40 PMThe washington post has an interesting review up about the Pollack. More about him than the movie but it does explain the silly accent:
"Because Kidman's character, Silvia, needed to demonstrate her ability to speak Ku, Pollack realized he'd have to invent vocabulary for a scene in which Silvia is seen and heard translating. So with the help of a language institute in England that specializes in southern African languages, he concocted words, expressions and even gestures of greeting for this imaginary nation. With Kidman, he devised a new accent, too, a way of speaking English that would smack of the region but not adhere specifically to South Africa or Zimbabwe."
The movie actually sounds interesting to me from what I have read. But I haven't seen any previews on tv (I live under a rock, I know).
Posted by: Curtis at April 22, 2005 2:46 PMCurtis - wow, that's very interesting. I have to go read that article.
Sounds like Nicole Kidman (and Pollock) have not done a good job with the accent thing: An accent should NEVER call attention to itself. It should be part of the character, or you shouldn't use it. Every review I've read so far has mentioned her accent, and that's not a very good sign.
Posted by: red at April 22, 2005 2:49 PMYeah, that definitely does not sound good. I really like the sounds of the plot for this movie and I love Sean Penn. Unfortunately, I can't stand Kidman. I don't even think I have a good reason for not liking her. I have similar reactions to your other favorite actress, renee zelweiger (sp?). Something about them just irritates me.
Anyways, I definitely will not be going to the theatre to see this one. But I can't rule out renting it on dvd.
Posted by: Curtis at April 22, 2005 2:57 PMCurtis,
While I understand your inexplicable actor bias (we ALL have them), I have to take issue with comparing Zellweger with Kidman. I don't know nothin' about acting, but I CAN tell that Zellweger is acting and Kidman isn't, that's not good if a neophyte like me can note this.
In fact, it's the main reason I commented on Sheila's initial post: I can tell Ms. Zellweger is "taking on" an accent whereas I don't even think about it until after the movie with Kidman. Which makes Sheila's point all the more depressing, they tried too hard created a situation where they ultimately failed.
Posted by: JFH at April 22, 2005 5:29 PMcurtis - I just read that piece in the WP. Wow - it sounds like they really complicated matters. I know they wanted to make up the country - and that's fine - but to make up a language? And then have Nicole speak a fake language, ALREADY using an accent not her own? Why couldn't they just choose a real African dialect to eliminate at least one of these issues?
I know a lot of people who can't stand Nicole Kidman. She drives some people batty.
I don't think she's ALWAYS been good - but there have been times (that Gus van Sant movie, for example - what was the name of it?) where she not only was good, but GENIUS. That's an amazing performance, one of the best of that year.
And I love Moulin Rouge. Sigh. That's mostly cause of Ewan, granted ... but I found her very believable.
Oh, wait - thought of another performance of hers I really liked: The Others. She was terrific.
But she definitely drives some people crazy.
Posted by: red at April 22, 2005 5:35 PMThe Others...bringing up a thread below, now that was a fucking scary movie. The Interpreter, however, I'm pretty sure I'll be avoiding.
Posted by: Dave J at April 22, 2005 6:57 PM