Review of Frost/Nixon (2008) by Javier C — 07 Apr 2010

Frost/Nixon, if you haven't heard yet, is an adaptation of a stage play that details the build-up and production of four interviews between former president Richard M. Nixon and Australian television host David Frost in 1977. The interviews were quite important as they were the first to be conducted since Nixon resigned from the Oval Office. This was to be the first, and best, chance to theoretically heal the nation by getting Nixon to come clean about his criminal culpability. Would this lightweight showbiz interviewer be able to match wits with a master politician, or would he play an unwitting role in rehabilitating the image of the hated ex-president?

In a rare move, both of the original play's leads reprise their roles for this Ron Howard-directed film version. Frank Langella once again portrays Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen again takes on David Frost. Langella (who you may remember as Skeletor in Masters of the Universe... no? Ok, maybe that's just me. And Clint.) won a Tony Award in 2007 for the stage version, and does an outstanding job here, virtually guaranteeing himself a Best Actor Oscar nomination. He is absolutely mesmerizing on screen. The rest of the cast shines just as brightly (Ron Howard, I believe deserves a lot of credit for not being overly directorial and letting his actors flourish). Michael Sheen has the difficult task of keeping Frost sympathetic while he consistently underestimates the demands of the assignment he has given himself; however, the most entertaining beats, arguably, involve Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt. Rockwell in particular excels as anti-Nixon historian James Reston Jr., who desperately wants to use this interview to "give Nixon the trial he never got." Oliver Platt is less over dramatic as ABC News honcho Bill Zelnick, but it's always a joy to watch him play subtly sarcastic, intelligent men of authority.

The one major critique of the film I've heard is that the screenplay's arches have been manipulated and heightened to give the film more of a dramatic feel, and that the original Frost/Nixon interviews are nowhere near as entertaining (except when the topic turned to Watergate, of course). While that may be true, the elevated drama in this film is absolutely riveting and supremely effective, thereby making it nearly impossible to stand by that criticism. What we have is a Rocky-style boxing match: meticulous research and training, all in the hopes of destroying the opposition. I saw this film with some friends of mine, and at one point, I looked over and each one of them were sitting on the edge of their seats, eyes glued to the screen, absolutely riveted by what was transpiring. Best of all, this film was able to accomplish that without explosions and chase scenes. That, my friends, is the mark of an excellent film.