Review of Nixon (1995) by Justin M — 21 Aug 2008

Probably the greatest achievement of Oliver Stone's biopic/docudrama about the infamous Richard Nixon is how he is able to make us feel empathy towards this deeply flawed and troubled man, a compulsive and delusional ninny who should have never been President, since he spent most of his presidency fighting his own demons instead of running the country.

The great Anthony Hopkins doesn't so much impersonate Nixon (he sounds and looks only fleetingly like the 37th president) yet he is able to fully engage us in this man's plight and paints him as a complex soul of conflicting emotional issues.

He's brilliant in the role. The supporting cast, from James Woods and Joan Allen to Mary Steenburgen and J.T. Walsh, never hit a false note. The script moves the story deftly between periods in Nixon's life, giving us a full and comprehensive version of this sad man's life.

Stone tones down his visual style for a more "behind the scenes" feel, using flashbacks, newsreels, news footage, and digital recreations to highlight the period. Everything works, and we come away from this great film with the depressing truth that, somehow, men like Nixon can become the leader of the free world all too easily, and that's a scary thought.