Heavyweight, and exhilaratingly entertaining

Rating: Null/10 (5 March 2009)

Watching the opening news clips is re-living the history of Watergate. Just as one of the commentaries intimated, I was glued to the TV every evening watching the judiciary investigations by the Senate Committee under Sam Ervin and Howard Baker. Subpoenas brought before the Committee the infamous four: Ehrlichman, Haldeman, Mitchell and Dean (there was even a spoof song written with the four names as title). But I stopped following the events after Nixon's resignation, and missed out on the dramatic Frost interviews. Thanks to the movie, it's better late than ever.
The preliminary, which occupies about a third of the 2-hour movie, is already addictively captivating. The two camps are briskly established. On Nixon's side is doggedly hard-as-steel aid Jack Brennan played by equally hard-as-steel Kevin Bacon, as well as world-wise contact man Swifty Lazar played masterfully by Toby Jones (who would have given Philip Seymour Hoffman a run for his money with his own portrayal of Capote in "Infamous" (2006)). In Frost's camp we first see partner-in-crime (a manner of speaking) John Birt, played effectively by Matthew Macfadyen (who played Mr Darcy in the 2005 version of "Pride and prejudice"). Then, recruited into the team are two top-notch people: researcher James Reston Jr played by Sam Rockwell (who played Jesse James' brother Charley, in that 2007 movie with a title too long for me to repeat) and TV camera expert Bob Zelnick (played by veteran actor Oliver Platt). To add a romantic touch, playing Frost's newly-acquainted girlfriend Caroline Cushing, is beguiling Rebecca Hall (remember her award-deserving performance as Vicky in "Vicky Christina Barcelona).
The heavyweights are of course Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, and this movie has indeed been likened to a heavyweight boxing championship match, by just about every critic. Frost, hitherto a successful yet never seriously recognized entertainment show host has a heavy (and reckless, claims many) financial stake in this series of interview shows as his door to fame and fortune. Nixon looks towards this as a heaven-sent opportunity to win back the support of the people, his door back into the limelight of politics which he has sorely missed. In the beginning, looking at the track record of Nixon's cunning manipulating skills, it would seem that Frost is a lightweight stepping into the ring to challenge a heavyweight. But as the bouts unfold, the story of David and Goliath gradually emerges. Nothing more needs to be said other than this is stage drama at its best (this is originally a stage play performed by the same two gentlemen).
Michael Sheen is excellent as David Frost, but it's Frank Langella's portrayal of Richard Nixon that deserves an Oscar, with due respect to Sean Penn.