Frost/Nixon
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The fascination with Richard Nixon seems to carry on with the years, and Hollywood certainly isn’t immuned. In 1995, Oliver Stone directed his gaze on the fallen President, largely painting him as a man plagued by mental issues. Our most recent take Frost/Nixon doesn’t focus so much on the life of Tricky Dick, but rather one moment in time — a post resignation set of interviews he has with talk show host David Frost in 1977. It marked Nixon’s one chance to tell his side of the story, and to reinforce to the American public that he wasn’t the bad guy everyone had painted him out to be. He just got caught up in a massive smear campaign spearheaded by journalists that were hell bent on his political destruction. While Nixon is busy fashioning the interview to repaint his legacy, Frost saw this monumental interview as his key back under the American spotlight which dimmed for him years before. Frost stakes his entire fortune and reputation on his ability to make Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) accept his wrongdoings and fork over an apology the American public has been waiting for. A tall order indeed. |
Grade: A- | Genre: Drama
The film enters on Nixon’s last day in office as he is being forced to resign as impeachment proceedings loomed large overhead. On the opposite side of the globe, the modern day Ryan Seacrest, David Frost (Michael Sheen), watches the failed President get swept out of Washington in his helicopter disgraced and fallen. Frost realizes the ratings bonanza awaiting the first person to corner Nixon on national television and make him air his dirty laundry. The only slight snag in an otherwise brilliant plan is that Frost’s journalism credentials amounted to little more than the fact that he once bought a paper. His chances of attaining the scoop of a lifetime were appearing pretty grim. Nixon’s PR man pitched him the idea of going toe-to-toe with a lightweight, knowing that Tricky Dick could shape the discussion in a way that the American public would see the truth as seen through his eyes. Even more enticing than the prospect of clearing his tarnished name was the $600,000 Frost was offering for the interview.
A deal was struck even though Frost didn’t have the money, and there wasn’t a single major US television network interested in paying the tab to broadcast the event. Frost brought on Bob Zelnick (Oliver Platt) and James Reston Jr (Sam Rockwell) to do the background research and to fashion the interview questions so that he could pin Nixon in the corner and needle him with rapid jabs on Cambodia, Watergate and Vietnam. As the weeks passed and the first interview approached, things appeared to be very, very wrong. All the media outlets were writing off the Frost/Nixon debates as a farce. The prevailing notion was that Frost was so out of his league that Nixon would mop the floor with him before the ref could stop the fight. That reality came crashing down on Frost the moment he first sat across from Nixon and the mind games commenced.
Director Ron Howard does his usual fine job of eliciting fabulous performances from all that were involved. Frank Langella embodied Richard Nixon to his very core, and certainly deserved the best actor Oscar nod he received for his stirring portrait. Michael Sheen plays the clueless celebrity with bravado. His slick hair and Italian leather shoes allow Nixon to paint him as a stand in for JFK in this long overdue rematch of style versus substance. Sam Rockwell also puts in a memorable performance as researcher and Nixon hater for Frost.
The film’s essence is a boxing match comprised of words lasting four rounds. You have two men desperately fighting for their lives and looking to rewrite their futures. Losing just wasn’t an option. The career politician hopelessly outclassed the talk show host, but you always wait to see if during one of these interview Frost might just bring the heat to make Nixon sweat. The series of interviews was a compelling battle that answered a lot of questions about Nixon the man and his mental state just as he had exited Washington. Frost/Nixon was a riveting film all around.
Release Date: January 23, 2009