Review of Nixon (1995) by Riff J — 04 Apr 2016

A very good biopic of the most controversial president in US history. Stone does a really good job of taking you back in time and giving you the context surrounding the man himself. I don't think Hopkins was the right choice for the lead role, namely because he sounds nothing at all like the man he's trying to portray. But aside from that, he does a decent job of displaying Nixon's mannerisms and emotions.

It also would have been nice to have more depth re the issues that the film addresses, but I guess with a run-time of already 190min, that would've turned this film into a mini-series. For example, some of the more controversial issues such as the Kent State shootings, the Cambodia campaign, as well as the tapes themselves are addressed in a manner that assumes the viewer is already well informed of the events, hence tackles them mainly from Nixon's brief reactions to them. I guess a little more action at the expense of drama would have been more to my liking. Regardless, this was a dramatic biopic, so that criticism is of little regard to Stone's intentions.

Overall, it's a very good movie, but I would still suggest that novice viewers watch some of the YouTube documentaries on Nixon if they're looking for a fuller picture of dismayed president.