Review of Frost/Nixon (2008) by Rood T — 10 Jun 2010

Once again little Ronnie Howard's skill as a director shines in his new film Frost/Nixon, which details one of history's most important televised interviews and America's best/worst political moment, that of Richard Nixon admitting remorse over Vietnam and Watergate. By staying nonjudgmental to Nixon's plight, and oftentimes sympathetic, Howard uses strong character development to gauge the reactions of one of the most controversial politicians in history. This isn't an attack on Nixon (played superbly by Frank Langella, Skeletor in Masters of the Universe), but instead the long debate that led him admitting to millions of viewers that he "let the American people down", all thanks to an inexperienced journalist David Frost (Michael Sheen).

In the early 60's, Frost was renowned as a famous television host, primarily for his work on the satirical program That Was The Week That W as, aka TW3. With sagging ratings and a reputation as fly-by-night playboy, he was considered top-notch entertainment, though credited with no journalistic merit. By gathering a very understanding producer, John Birt (Matthew McFadyen) and a couple of political knowledge men, Bob Zelnick (the great Oliver Platt) and James Reston Jr. (the great Sam Rockwell), Frost decides he can gain hefty rating's boost by interviewing former President Richard Nixon, now out of office after the Watergate scandals. Retiring on a typical wealthy beachfront, Nixon lives off the lecture circuit and sees the interview as a way to win back the American opinion, plus a nice $600,000 fee, coming mostly out of Frost's pocket. Helping him along is military aide Jack Brennan (the great Kevin Bacon), who seems to feed into this aura of Nixon the hero, even more than Nixon.

Throughout the four interviews, a change occurs in the charismatic, but uninformed Frost. Through sudden desperation, he snaps into a powerful journalist, one that shows assertion and fierce resolve towards one of history's most politically savvy men. Undeterred Nixon retain utter control with any topic, no matter the controversy. I never realized how maneuverable he was in terms of debate, and though lacking any charm, he seems to carry an aura of assurance like a man you want to trust.

When Frost realizes that the man he's up against is no beaten foe or vunerable to vmaniputlation, he reevaluates his own intended agenda and begins to understand what Nixon has really done wrong, which leds to a ferious attack not often seen in interviews at the time. But Howard never loses pity for the former President, whom he sees as a creation of his own situation. Nixon's a political machine, but one that possesses no off switch. One surreal scene shows how, even after defeat, Nixon can't stop himself from petting a lady's dog in front of the cameras to gain emotion.

Frost/Nixon is typical Ron Howard magic, an intelligent film that's never grows tepid nor overblown, but stays rooted in American history. The interviews might've easily been brushed out to journalistic cosmos like the Gary Hart scandals or the blizzard of '93. Thankfully we have an American director that not only produces instant cinematic classics, but also tricks us into learning a little about our own background, no matter how bad it might've been. Though not as epic as Howard's earlier Apollo 13 or as heart wrenching as Cinderella Man, Frost/Nixon is a great character driven film based on one of history's most controversial men, amidst the boom of televised journalism. It should be in every politician's library.

I need to add that for all those Clint Howard fans, he is cast in Frost/Nixon as Lloyd Davis. For those that don't know who he is, here's a hint: He played Little Leon on The Andy Griffith Show, always eating peanut butter sandwiches. TAGS for life baby!