CD Review: The Interpreter
by Cary Wong
The Interpreter *** 1/2
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
Varèse Sarabande 302 066 0651 2
14 tracks - 45:06
Last year, James Newton Howard wrote what may end up as one of the best
scores of the last decade with his Oscar-nominated The Village. For his follow-up, he
returns to more familiar ground, although this time with a more world
music flavor. The Interpreter is
director Sydney Pollack's first movie since 1999's disastrous Random Hearts. This latest film is
an adult drama disguised as a thriller, with Silvia (Nicole Kidman), an
African-language interpreter for the UN, overhearing an assassination
plot to kill an African leader, and Tobin (Sean Penn), the cop running
the case. Although there is an attraction between Silvia and Tobin, the
movie is more preoccupied with messages about human rights and
political wrangling.
Pollack is most often associated with composer Dave Grusin, but he has
worked with other major composers, notably John Williams on Sabrina, and John Barry on Out of Africa. Howard has written
for Pollack an unsurprising but extremely likable score for a
complicated and plot-heavy movie. And maybe it's the world music
presence or maybe Howard was thinking ahead to Batman Begins, but Howard's score
is his closest yet to a Hans Zimmer homage.
There are three set pieces to the movie and the score, and in all three
cases, the synthesis of acting, directing and music come together to
create wonderful moods and suspense. The first cue, "Matobo" is the
first scene in the film and is more or less a prologue that gives away
too much information about the fate of Silvia's brother in the
fictitious African country. But the eight-minute track is a effectively
subdued, world-music infused suspense cue. "Guy Forgot His Lunch" is
equally spine-tingling and is the best cat-and-mouse baiting action
scene director Pollack has ever orchestrated. But where Howard truly
shines is in the final, six-minute "Zuwanie Arrival at UN," which
builds to the finale with wonderful pomp, menace, and full orchestral
forces.
Each of the main characters also gets quieter, subdued moments. Silvia
receives "Did He Leave a Note" and Tobin warrants "Tobin Comes Home,"
both of which serve as tonic between the action. Tobin's scene, driven
by a lovely piano interlude, is especially haunting. Howard fans will
not be disappointed by this mature score from a composer who keeps
growing.
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