The Interpreter (2005)

Synopsis: A United Nations interpreter overhears a conversation that might signal that a certain African leader is in danger.
Appraisal: The one interesting thing about this film is the set-up of the premise of the film as a metaphor for a political dilemma. The metaphor concerns the question 'can you identify a whispering voice?' which comes about as the protagonist overhears a conversation and is requested to identify its authors. The clarification of the metaphor is done very near the ending, and is contained in the dedicatory of a book. This curious angle aside, this film is mostly an excrutiating series of improbabilities, be they political, emotional, or of a simpler kind, such as leaving a threatened politician alone in a room or discussing sensitive political stuff inside a crowded bus.
Rating: 20

P.S.: I saw it again on 2008, June 21, and, although I still don't exactly like it, this time I found it far from 'excruciating'. It's too conventional in structure, yet sort of fun to watch. Just don't think of it as a realistic picture and it will go down easier, exception made to when it gets down to the characters' more personal bits, which are definitely corny ('list of favorite words'? give me a break...).

The new rating is 40.