Review of Frost/Nixon (2008) by Bob M — 22 Feb 2010

Wow! Frank Langella almost made me feel a pang of pity for Richard Nixon! Not possible, unless the effects of 8 years of Bush/Chaney have tempered my view of the US's only President to have resigned while in office.

This movie is just spectacular, keeping me riveted to the screen even though I watched it all happen live. The film, and probably the reality, has the two players sparring like a boxing match. The hype, the preparation, the getting into each other's heads.

Because he's a simple British TV talk show host, Frost comes across as a lightweight, so much so that it is the reason the Nixon team agrees to the interview in the first place. The Nixon team views it as the opportunity to get the ex-President back to DC.

And it starts out that way, Frost is an embarrassment. Incredibly, reminiscent of the megalomania that gets him in trouble as President, Nixon calls Frost, off the record, to seemingly gloat before the last interview.

Like a boxer on the ropes, Frost seizes his opportunity and scores the knockout. Wonderful filming by Howard who captures the tension of the characters and the preparation and the interviews themselves.

In the end "Tricky Dick" got out-tricked by an inspired Frost. And the rest, as they say, is history......