Respectfully Submitted

Rating: 8/10 (25 August 2009)

If one is expecting to see a surly one dimensional Nixon and Frost as a pure white knight, it doesn't happen in this film. Someone here really looked into character and created a set of complex events and complex people. One doesn't become President of the United States without being a pretty charismatic figure. Nixon goes down in history as a crook, but he was a lot more than that. Frank Langella reprises his theater role and plays Nixon to the hilt. He is manipulative, calculating, somewhat charming in the correct circumstances, and nearly obsessed with "correcting" his image. The byplay that takes place between Nixon and Frost is priceless. I've been told that even if you don't like the President, the power emanating from the office itself, makes one weak kneed. There is a really precious scene that illustrates this, though I don't want to spoil it. David Frost comes off initially as a bit shallow. If we are to believe the events, we see him really in over his head. I had no idea that he had made such a financial commitment to these interviews. It is also interesting to see the dynamics among himself and his colleagues. This is an "acting" move and well worth the time. If you lived through Watergate, you will especially treasure this.