A Nutshell Review: Frost/Nixon

Rating: 10/10 (9 August 2010)

Frost/Nixon is a stage play by Peter Morgan, which is based on the series of televised interviews involving US President Richard Nixon and television presenter David Frost back in 1977. Ron Howard adapts from the stage version with Peter Morgan writing the screenplay, so there's this authenticity that comes along with it, and of course the principal titular characters of Frost and Nixon played by their stage incarnations Michael Sheen and Frank Langella.
This film though didn't manage to garner a theatrical release here, because distributors are probably of the opinion that nobody in Singapore would be interested to watch a dramatized piece of history involving an ex-President and a flamboyant presenter, but I suppose they had probably missed the point why this film was made, as Ron Howard had mentioned, bear some close resemblance to history repeating itself during the Bush Administration and the parallels of abuses of power. Even if not so, then Ron Howard should be pedigree enough since he had crafted an engaging and engrossing film based upon the successful Broadway run.
It's very much an examination into the two gladiators' minds, in their preparation and research before the big fight. And of course they don't go into it alone, each having assembled a team to prepare dossiers on the other, as well as the assembly of facts, figures and the pre-empting of what questions can be asked, and how best to deflect them or diffuse their intent and meaning. This we see expertly delivered by the Nixon camp led by Kevin Bacon's Chief of Staff Jack Brennan, in advice such as rambling to time-waste, much to the frustration of the Frost camp, with Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell and Rebecca Hall all providing top notch performances as real life characters.
Besides the obvious political jabs during the interviews, what's interesting is to note what goes on behind the making of a high risk show, without the confirmation of revenue streams since no networks want to touch it. You can imagine the immense pressure David Frost is under, and Michael Sheen performed admirably in this role, and frankly I think Sheen is fast becoming one of my favourite actors with his uncanny ability to embody each role that his plays with aplomb, with historical characters even being nothing impossible to tackle. His Frost has a very vulnerable side to it and Ron Howard dwells on this a lot, to bring us the challenges that he faced with the multiple roles he has to play, in addition to secure funding.
For Nixon, it's an opportunity to get himself back into popular spotlight and telling things from his perspective, which the general public is finding it difficult to accept, if at all. Ron Howard had to focus on the differences in personalities between the two men, and Frank Langella rings through a performance that is not a conscious impersonation, but close enough to be convinced it's Nixon on screen. That deep baritone voice also brings about a very stately persona, and like one of the characters quipped, brings about a certain sex appeal (!)
Frost/Nixon is a top notch film with top notch performances, with qualities that at times resemble a documentary especially with its interviews with the support characters about the entire episode. For interviewers wannabe, this is a film that you'll probably want to have a look at, in understanding the necessity in formulating a water-tight yet flexible strategy about wrestling and releasing control with the interviewee, the study of body languages, and the importance of the informalities and the back channels in communication which is crucial for the interviewer, or subject even, especially with how off the cuff remarks can just disarm the most prepared.