Frost/Nixon

I watched this film without knowing almost anything about the actual events that are depicted in this film. What a surprise it was! The cast did an amazing job to reflect the actual characters in history while the director did a stellar job in representing it. Would I watch it again? I don't think so. Would I make my friends watch it? Definitely!

Though it really only comes alive in the last half hour, this is still a powerful dramatisation of the setting up and execution of the interviews between the disgraced US President (Frank Langella) and the enthusiastic British talk show host (Michael Sheen). It was the latter who initiated a proposal with lawyer "Swifty" Lazar (Toby Jones) to suggest the president might like to tell his story. The Nixon camp considered Frost a bit of a manageable lightweight and decide that if he can raise the $600,000 cash, then why not? It takes a while to negotiate the terms, but by 1977 all is agreed and they sit down for the first in a series of two hour recordings. Despite a strong start, opinions seem to solidify around Frost being, indeed, a bit too weak to elicit anything newsworthy from his savvy political opponent. Luckily, Frost has the viscerally anti-Nixon James Reston (Sam Rockwell) in his camp and some serious research unearths things that are going to make it very difficult for Nixon to continue to try to remain as aloof and statesmanlike as he would like. It's Langella who really comes into his own as, believe it or not, he actually engenders a little sympathy towards the conclusion. That's all history so no jeopardy there, but I think the characterisation of the president was solid and engagingly delivered an image of a man who definitely believed in himself! Sheen is adequate, as is the weakly cast Matthew Macfadyen as producer John Birt and Kevin Bacon as Nixon's right hand man and borderline disciple Jack Brennan. The writing is occasionally potent here and as we are exposed to Ron Howard's version of events, it gradually becomes quite a compelling postulation to watch and opine about.

I guess I'm giving it a 10 out of 10 for the acting, for the lighting, and for the attempt. In other words this is a movie that you want to watch, a movie that will probably be enjoyed (unless you find movies like this boring, and, if you do, you've already made up your mind not to watch it). However, it fails in the execution. Frost/Nixon should have been a struggle between minds, a chess game, and because of that it needed to have almost a paranoia to it. A tension that could be felt as one side attempted to take down the other. It missed the opportunity there. Possibly because it was only an interview, possibly because the results of which didn't really matter, either way it missed the tension boat and the film ultimately suffers for it. What could have been All the President's Men turned into something well done, but ultimately forgettable for failure to really develop the mood to set the pace. However, the acting was superb and the film certainly looks great. It is a pleasure to watch, it just never gets to the emotional level it needed to be brilliant and memorable.