Review of Nixon (1995) by Eric H — 25 Mar 2009

I've watched this again and I still love it, but I disagree with Stone much more this time around. First off, I am talking about the director's cut, which, I feel, makes Nixon seem much more out of control and crazy than he really was.

This is not just a Nixon fan speaking here, I've researched the man and Stone did not know exactly what happened all the time and he took a bit too much dramatic license with it, no matter how much he claims he did not.

Either way, this film is made by a master of cinema. Stone is great at changing angles mid-scene and using different film stocks and dissolves throughout. He creates a feeling of unease and paranoia through filmwork, though I thought he became too chaotic near the end.

I suggest people read a book to get the full story, and just let this set the groundwork for future research. Apart from that, the acting was superb. Hopkins gives the performance of his life in this and there are simply too many others to mention apart from him.

I disagree with the way Stone showed Nixon in the later days, but he did acknowledge some of the man's greatness and that, along with the art of the film, are enough for this to be a must-see.