This is a big deal

Rating: 9/10 (31 May 2009)

David Frost (Sheen) interviews former President Richard Nixon (Langella) to get Nixon to admit to wrongdoing and a cover-up in the Watergate Scandal.
Two lost men: Frost and Nixon. Frost was lost because he thought he would make a name for himself by the interview and had a lot of trouble getting financial backing and some of his shows were pulled. He was at his wits end until he decided to fund the project himself and then later syndicate it.
Nixon was lost because he did the unthinkable: resigned the presidency and that was tough to live with. Then comes this showman Frost who wants an interview and for Nixon to admit to wrongdoing and a cover-up. If he admits to that, he would compound his guilt and be forever lost. He was hoping the interview would get him some credibility, sympathy , and perhaps some understanding from the American people of why he acted the way he did.
What keeps this movie engaging are the behind the scenes deals going on before and during the interview. These are things the public is not privy to and when they involve a president of the United States the public stays tuned in. Inquiring minds, you see.
From a historical point of view this is a big deal. How big a deal will be told by historians way down the road. But, we don't have to wait for them. It's a big deal now.
Langella steals every scene and rightly so. He is a presence. After a while watching the interviews, especially the last one I never saw Langella, I saw Nixon. I never saw the actual TV broadcast of the interviews and I don't think I need to. Langella captured Nixon perfectly and I came away with the feeling that others watching also didn't want to hit a man when he's down. So maybe Nixon did come away with some of that understanding mentioned above, but he would always be forever lost and he understood that.
Langella was nominated for Best Actor and should have gotten it. Ron Howard was nominated for Best Director. Didn't win. And, Frost Nixon was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Also didn't win. The production was good, the acting and dialogue by all was also good, but it was Langella who makes all this work.
Most of us know the outcome but it's in the telling that people should see this. That and Frank Langella's portrayal of Richard Nixon.
Two Lost Men: Frost and Nixon. One wins and the other remains forever lost. Very sad.
Violence: No. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, some not much, but one big F-bomb by Langella.