A Powerhouse Political Drama

Rating: 9/10 (3 February 2009)

As I walked into the cinema to watch "Frost/Nixon", one dominant question was in my mind; Is this the great duel that both the critics and trailers have been making it out to be, or is it as tired as Gordon Brown on a Monday morning? The film's recent five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, would suggest the former, but the Oscars are starting to lose credibility. After all, many people believe that they snubbed "The Dark Knight" this year when it came to the major nomination categories, me included. Still, several critics and audience members were praising the film, so I thought that I would have a look.
I am happy to say that the positive word surrounding the film is justified. "Frost/Nixon" is a smart, powerful and surprisingly funny movie. But most importantly, it is a compelling character study of two men who have everything to lose.
The film's events take place from late 1976 to the summer of 1977. David Frost (Michael Sheen) is a red-hot British talk-show host. He has fame, fortune and charm, and is known by many people. After seeing Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) resigning from the White House, Frost has an idea for an interview with the shamed former leader of the United States. After much struggling and conflict, Frost finally gets the chance to interview Nixon on four topics, one of which is the infamous Watergate scandal. However, Frost discovers that Nixon isn't going to admit his guilt over the Watergate scandal without a fight. With the backing of his other three team members (Matthew Macfadyen, Oliver Platt and Sam Rockwell) and his girlfriend (Rebecca Hall), Frost enters into a dramatic battle of wits and nerve with Nixon. The major question is; who will come out on top?
The main success of "Frost/Nixon" is in the focused portrayals of Frost and Nixon by Michael Sheen and Frank Langella respectively. The supporting cast, most notably Kevin Bacon as Jack Brennan, one of Nixon's chief advisers, and Sam Rockwell as James Reston Jr., who just can't wait to see Nixon acknowledge his guilt concerning the Watergate scandal, is top-notch. But David Frost and Richard Nixon are the two central characters in this story, and also the most interesting. As Frost, Sheen creates a charming and likable individual. However, as the movie progresses, Sheen starts to thaw the character's "frosty" exterior in order to reveal Frost's uncertainty and desperation. Both he and Nixon have everything to win or to lose depending on which way these interviews go, but, as Frost tells Nixon, "only one of us can win".
However, every other cast member is out-done by Frank Langella's sensational portrayal of Richard Nixon. Fully devoting himself to the character, Langella's performance, much like Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker in "The Dark Knight", isn't so much a performance as a total embodiment of the character. Langella is heartfelt and humane in the role, and he never makes Nixon out to be an idiot. He is an intelligent man who understands the rules of the game that he's playing with Frost. But, most interestingly, Langella brings elements of tragedy to the disgraced man. Here is a man who can't fit into society because of the mistakes that he's made, and also because of his personal faults. There is an almost Shakespearean quality to Nixon's plight. He is a former hero who has fallen from grace, and who is trying desperately to claw his way back to the top. All in all, the Oscar nomination that Langella received for his performance was well-deserved, and I personally wouldn't be surprised if he won.
With his disappointing adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code", Ron Howard seemed to have fallen from his career high point, which was his Oscar-winning direction of "A Beautiful Mind". However, his direction here is skillful and assured enough to ensure that he is back on track. His greatest achievement is evident in the interview scenes, when he transforms scenes which could have so easily dragged into tense, uncertain sequences of verbal sparring between Frost and Nixon, whilst their two teams watch nervously in the background. However, there are other moments where Howard's brilliance as a director shines through. One sequence, in which Frost receives an unexpected call from a drunk Nixon, is poignant and reveals further layers in the personalities of the two men.
The script also crackles with tension and wit when it could have been as dry and as lacking of life as a desert. The dialogue between Frost and Nixon exquisitely reveals both the growing intensity and respect between the two men. However, the moments of humour are placed in the film at just the right moments so that they don't disrupt the natural flow of the story or the characters. One particular sequence, in which James Reston Jr. is forced to shake hands with Nixon, is very funny, yet it doesn't affect the suspense of the situation. The writer, Peter Morgan, should be given a big pat on the back.
"Frost/Nixon" may be flawed. Ther are times where it can seem like an expensive TV movie, and it may not be to everyone's taste. But, for anyone who wants to be entertained and learn a little bit about history at the same time, I would heartily recommend "Frost/Nixon". It's well-crafted by a director at the top of his game, brilliantly written, exceptionally acted (particularly by Langella, who will have a hard time topping this performance) and, most importantly, it is respectable towards its topic.