Frost/Nixon

Welcome to another installment the “D” List

For my next review I offer you a much deserving recommendation for the very entertaining Frost/Nixon Starring Frank Langella as Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen as David Frost. The film is an adaptation of Peter Morgan's stage play, he penned the script and it's directed by Ron Howard who I have to applaud for his work on this film. I am not a big Ron Howard fan. I feel that overall his films are too long and can be unbearable to watch but this film is well paced and at 122 mins you are never bogged down.

The plot of this film is simple. It's based on the several events after Watergate from Nixon's resignation to his banishment and the unrest and anger the country felt after he was pardoned by President Ford. It also follows the career of British talk show host David Frost and his inspiration to interview the shamed former president. The film goes on and shows the events leading up to the several interviews that take place between Frost and Nixon until the final day of shooting when Frost is able to break Nixon and get a backhanded admission of wrong doing by Nixon concerning Watergate.

What made this film much more enjoyable for me was how the story was told. It wasn't done in a typical retelling of an historical event from point A to point B instead it was intercut with the present day accounts of some of the key people involved with the interviews i.e. Nixon's former chief of staff, Nixon's agent who brokered the deal with Frost and on the other side Frost's producer and his investigative team.

They shared their experiences and opinions directly as it related to the event we were seeing at the time. It was a very clever and entertaining way to tell a story that many of us already know exists but the highlight of this film is not doubt the oscar worthy performance of Frank Langella as Tricky Dick. He doesn't sound exactly like him and barely shares a resemblance but his portrayal of the shamed president turned vagabond was magnificent. You see the pain Nixon felt being exiled from a world that he loved so much and his desire to reclaim his standing in society. The interview scenes between Langella and Sheen are amazing. Nixon stonewall's Frost into submission and skirts around the topics of controversy so skillfully that Frost's team begins to doubt his ability to accomplish the goal.

Sadly what gets lost in this film is the performance of Michael Sheen as Frost. You are transported into Langella's Nixon that Sheen's Frost is overlooked which is a shame because Sheen goes toe to toe with Langella in the scenes that they have together.

The film also has a stellar supporting cast led by Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt and Kevin Bacon. They round out a solid team of actor's that collectively made a wonderful film.

I'm not sure how the academy will see this but I am making Frost/Nixon my darkhorse pick for Best Picture and Frank Langella is my choice for Best Actor. I would have also added Michael Sheen as my choice for Best Supporting Actor but that will and should go to Heath Ledger for his performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight.

Overall Frost/Nixon gets an A.

My next review will be The Wrestler by Darren Aaronofsky Starring Mickey Rourke who is getting a lot of Oscar buzz. We'll see if he can powerslam Frank Langella for Best Actor

Until Next time...I'll save you a seat.

"D"