This latest film by former Hollywood child actor and Happy Days staple Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon takes some acceptable dramatic liberties, in re-enacting the famous (or should we call it infamous?) series of interviews with ex-President Richard Milhouse Nixon, conducted by celebrity TV host David Frost.
Frost/Nixon Synopsis
In the late summer of 1974, as President Nixon offers his resignation speech before a shocked nation, British born television host David Frost (Michael Sheen, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans) witnesses this worldwide event, along with approximately 400 million others.
Seeking to potentially profit from achieving an exclusive interview with the disgraced politician (given how many people watched his televised resignation), Frost opts to raised several hundreds of thousands of dollars, to arrange for a one-on-one series of interviews. Frost's ultimate endgame, of course, is to spin the questions into an admission of guilt over the much publicized Watergate scandal, the main cause of Nixon's exit from the White House.
The daunting task of securing this interview doesn't come without a high price, as Nixon (Frank Langella) plans to skirt the issue, in a way as to minimize the scandal associated with Watergate, a plan he hatches with his loyal aide, Jack Brennan (Kevin Bacon, The Woodsman).
And so, Frost and his team of researchers, John Birt (Matthew MacFadyen, Death at a Funeral), Bob Zelnick (Oliver Platt, Martian Child) and James Reston Jr. (Sam Rockwell, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind) frantically pull every stop, to find as much incriminating information, in the hope of obtaining some admission of guilt, from one of the most infamous political characters of the 20th century.
Frost/Nixon Analysis
The chief asset of this film, is in that of its well-prepared cast. By recruiting the play's two very capable leads, Sheen and Langella, Howard's film already acquires the gravitas needed, for this mostly dialogue-filled project.
Peter Morgan's well researched original play provides a steady framework within which the actors can expand, each according to his own gifts. Production Designer Michael Corenblith and his team have a ball in recreating some of the dated looks and trends associated with the mid-Seventies, and they do so with gusto, but no so much as to take away from the important aspect, the story itself.
Viewers not familiar with the general details surrounding the Watergate scandal may want to do a few choice searches on Wikipedia, while others more familiar with the events will be haunted by the inspired performances of this top-notch cast.
The Cast of Frost/Nixon
Frank Langella gets top honors here, as Richard Nixon. His performance is such that most will quickly forget what the real Nixon looks like, and will spend upcoming years with Langella's face in mind instead (in the same way many Gen Xers still think of Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, whenever The Doors come on the radio).
As for Michael Sheen, his ability to infuse David Frost with charisma and charm capable of stealing hearts (and getting funds for his interview series), is a treat. As for the supporting cast, the film gets a good share of light humor from Oliver Platt and Sam Rockwell, to balance out the more dramatic moments.
Bonus points for Kevin Bacon, who plays yet another dedicated Marine (similar to the lawyer role he played in A Few Good Men), his portrayal of Jack Brennan is equally worthy of praise.
The Final Word on Frost/Nixon DVD
Frost/Nixon is definitely a keeper; though the Ron Howard commentary can drone on at times, the rest of the features are ideal for the Watergate neophyte. Footage from the actual interviews this film is based on, are included for comparison, and there is plenty of coverage as to the crew's attention to detail, in recreating the décor and accoutrements of the time.
8 out of 10 for excellent dialogue, poignant drama, and Oscar caliber performance by the lead actors
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