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The Interpreter

The Interpreter

The truth needs no translation.

2005128 minPG-13Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Director
Sydney Pollack
Starring
Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen

After Silvia Broome, an interpreter at United Nations headquarters, overhears plans of an assassination, an American Secret Service agent is sent to investigate.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Interpreter?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Interpreter streaming on Netflix and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Interpreter?

The Interpreter earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Interpreter worth watching?

The Interpreter's Midcredits score is the 57th percentile of all films, from 164K ratings across 6 sources. 52% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

57th percentile

Better received than 57% of films

59th percentile among Crime54th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)57th
Approval (how many liked it)55th

64 /100

57th percentile of all films

60th percentile among Crime57th percentile among 2000s

Critics 62 · Audience 64

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

52% liked it

55th percentile of all films

56th percentile among Crime52nd percentile among 2000s
52% rated it 7–1048% rated it 1–6

Critics 58% · Audience 54%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 2 noms overall

97th percentile

164K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Crime95th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 50% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$80M
Opening weekend$23M
Domestic gross$73M
Worldwide gross$163M

Returned 2.0× its budget — 97th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a serious, well-acted political thriller with a strong sense of place, but its script strains credibility.

Fans praised

  • Lead performances — Kidman and Penn both deliver controlled, emotionally layered work
  • UN location shooting adds authenticity and a unique atmospheric backdrop
  • Old-fashioned, intelligent political thriller with restrained suspense and adult themes

Detractors panned

  • Script riddled with glaring plot holes and implausible security lapses
  • Meandering, uneven pacing that kills tension, especially in the middle act
  • Too many convoluted subplots and underdeveloped supporting characters

What stands out

Cinematography80

Stylish, evocative New York and UN imagery; praised for mood and framing

ActingDivisive78

Kidman and Penn praised as compelling, though some find Kidman's accent inconsistent

AtmosphereDivisive70

UN setting and subdued 70s-thriller tone create a unique immersive feel

CharactersDivisive60

Leads given heavy backstory; some find it enriching, others excessive

DialogueDivisive55

Praised as intelligent by fans; detractors call it talky and preachy

Plot and storyDivisive45

Widely criticized for implausible security breaches and convenient coincidences

Pacing45

Slow-burn approach divisive; many find it sluggish, especially mid-film

EndingDivisive30

Widely panned as contrived, illogical, and deflating

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 10 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Interpreter like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneA serious, earnest political thriller played straight, with subdued, grainy 70s-style cinematography and no irony toward its material.
The rideThe film sustains a pervasive tension from the opening scene to the climax, with a somber emotional undertone from the characters' shared grief.
StructureA conventional, slow-burning political thriller told in chronological order, opening with a prologue in Matobo that the New York-centered main story builds on.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the tension between personal vengeance and institutional justice running, resolving with a bittersweet, reconciling close rather than a triumphant one.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story is driven by the question of whether Silvia's claim about an assassination plot is true and who is really behind it, a puzzle Keller pursues procedurally while the audience is invited to guess.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% (this title) · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsGrief · 6% of filmsTruth · 4% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores whether taking justice into one's own hands is justified, set against a backdrop of political corruption and personal loss, while probing the nature of truth in a conspiracy-laden environment.
StanceThe film questions whether personal vengeance can deliver justice, and whether institutional systems can be trusted, without offering easy answers.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingUnited Nations headquarters in New York, with references to the fictional African nation of Matobo

Content guide

Is The Interpreter okay for kids?

PG-13

The Interpreter is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for violence, some sexual content and brief strong language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (61/100), sexual content at mild (21/100), language at moderate (36/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (30/100) and frightening material at moderate (57/100). Overall it is heavier than 61% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 19 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece13
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 38% of all filmsHeavier than 61% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 74%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 31%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 33%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 45%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 68%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Interpreter have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Interpreter?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Nicole Kidman
as Silvia Broome
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sean Penn
as Tobin Keller
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Catherine Keener
as Dot Woods
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jesper Christensen
as Nils Lud
Yvan Attal
as Philippe
Earl Cameron
as Zuwanie
George Harris
as Kuman-Kuman
Michael Wright
as Marcus
Clyde Kusatsu
as Police Chief Lee Wu
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Eric Keenleyside
as Rory Robb

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Interpreter?

Movies like The Interpreter include Clear and Present Danger (1994), Random Hearts (1999) and State of Play (2009). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Sydney Pollack, and most are political thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its story type: conspiracy thriller. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Interpreter?

980 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: conspiracy thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.