Frost not Nixon

Rating: 8/10 (13 April 2010)

Frost Nixon Frank Langella Michael Sheen I must confess that ordinarily this is not a film I would have watched. However, seeing Michael Sheen interviewed on Top Gear where Clarkson said what a great performance it was I thought I'd watch it for myself.
Director Ron Howard takes us to a time when the US were involved in a war they couldn't win, occupying a country they shouldn't be in and their President was caught lying. Sound familiar? It's an engrossing narrative and Howard does an excellent job of taking you back to the 60's by using subtle things such as a close up of Frost's Italian shoes, cleverly reminding us that few people traveled by plane and excellent overall set and costume design.
The film begins when David Frost is in Australia and not yet having found the infamy of 'through the keyhole' he decides that he's going to spend his own money, and borrow other peoples to pay Nixon heavily and get the one and only interview with the disgraced ex president.
There's a real risk with a film like this for it to become a narcissistic ramble but it's not slow nor does it drag on, instead it's a well told story, enough factual information to give the feeling you're watching History channel without the dumbing down, but equally enough drama to keep you engrossed in the film. Despite already knowing the outcome, ( if you don't know what happened, look away now) your rooting for Frost to succeed, and in all it's a thoroughly enjoyable and watch able film. Michael Sheen plays Frost, and Frank Langella plays Nixon as the two come together for what would later become an epic interview. There are some other important roles and given the flood of information in this film there is no time for character development so all of whom have to be strong out of the blocks, and fortunately they all are.
Here's my problem with the film. Michael Sheen is brilliant as Frost, capturing just enough of his character ( as he did with Tony Blair in 'The Queen' ) to make it believable without being distracting, where as Frank Langella's performance as Nixon is more like something from Saturday Night Live or some other comedy show. You feel that Sheen is playing a character, bringing subtle aspects of the real Frost to the screen and you don't feel your watching him 'trying' to be Frost, where as Langella is trying to impersonate Nixon and it doesn't work. Additionally, films about Nixon have been done a thousand times, this film is about how Frost against all odds got the old codger to agree to an interview and then against all expectations got an on screen admission of guilt. It is, as much if not more about Frost's efforts as it is about Nixon's guilt. Why then, if the film is called Frost Nixon, and Sheen is masterful while Langella struggles, is Frank Langella given top billing? It's a rhetorical question, we know exactly why.
So, to confirm Clarkson was right, gripping, interesting, enthralling.
8/10