The Interview (2014)
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A talk show host and his producer are recruited by the CIA to assassinate the North Korean leader during a planned interview.
The story
Dave Skylark, a talk show host, and his producer Aaron Rapaport are preparing for a high-profile interview. When their show's broadcast is interrupted by news regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons, the duo is approached by CIA Agent Lacey. She informs them that the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, is a fan of their show and offers them a chance to meet him. However, she reveals a secret mission: they must assassinate Kim during the interview to prevent a nuclear threat to the West Coast. The two men must decide whether to proceed with the interview or follow the CIA's orders to carry out the assassination.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Dave Skylark and producer Aaron Rapaport are tasked by CIA Agent Lacey to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a televised interview using a ricin strip. Upon arriving in Pyongyang, they are met by Sook-yin Park and face suspicion from security. After a series of mishaps involving a Siberian tiger and a hidden ricin strip, Skylark meets Kim, who initially seems friendly. However, the tension rises as Skylark realizes Kim's true nature. During the live interview, Skylark challenges Kim on sensitive topics like food shortages and his father's approval. The broadcast becomes chaotic as Sook-yin Park helps them fight off guards. Kim eventually loses his composure and prepares a nuclear launch. Skylark, protected by a bulletproof vest, manages to escape and eventually stops Kim from launching the missiles. Following the events, Skylark writes a book, Rapaport returns to work, and North Korea becomes a denuclearized democracy under Sook's leadership.
- First release year
- 2014
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Korean
- Directors
- Seth Rogen; Evan Goldberg
- Writers
- Dan Sterling · screenplay; Seth Rogen · story; Evan Goldberg · story; Dan Sterling · story
- Cast and characters
- James Franco · Dave Skylark; Seth Rogen · Aaron Rapaport; Lizzy Caplan · Agent Lacey; Randall Park · Kim Jong Un; Diana Bang · Sook-yin Park; Timothy Simons · Malcolm; Reese Alexander · Agent Botwin; Anders Holm · Jake
- Genres
- political satire; action comedy
- Themes
- media and celebrity; political assassination; censorship
- Tone and mood
- satirical; humorous; action-packed
- Premise and plot tags
- political satire; action comedy; black comedy; buddy comedy
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics for its humor and subject matter, although the performances of Franco, Park and Diana Bang were praised.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 51% · scale: percentage · review count: 154; Metacritic · score: 52 · scale: 100 · review count: 33
- Production trivia
- The film was originally titled 'Kill Kim Jong Un'.; The film was not released in Russia and Japan.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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