FROST/NIXON [2008] review

Ron Howard has directed a very intellectual film in FROST/NIXON.  This is not a movie to watch if you are not in the mood to hang on the next word that comes out of the fictional Richard Nixon’s mouth.  I found Frank Langella’s performance as Nixon to be just that, however, a performance where I couldn’t wait to hear the next words out of his mouth.  And then how Michael Sheen’s character, David Frost, would react to what Nixon said.  These two lead performances were outstanding and make a movie about getting a nationally disgraced Nixon to actually fess up to something almost riveting.

I was in the mood for an intellectual movie, so FROST/NIXON went over very well.  My mind was alert and sharp and enjoying the consumption of the intellectual dialogue.  The story is of course not complex, it’s as straight forward as it comes, but the acting is so strong just watching the characters on screen is quite compelling.

FROST/NIXON is the story of how British TV show host Frost called in every favor and mortgaged everything (including his career) to land the first post-presidency interview with Nixon.  Nixon was a very willing interviewee, as long as he got the price he wanted.

Frost’s challenge was to crack Nixon, a bull of a personality that was tangible on-screen in the scene where Nixon’s motorcade first pulls up for the first day of the multi-day interview.  Even I was intimidated seeing that and glad I wasn’t sitting in the chair opposite a handkerchief toting (to wipe his perspiration) Nixon.

I found myself rooting for Frost, but also not necessarily rooting against Nixon.  That is a tribute to Langella’s performance and Howard’s directing.

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