Frost/Nixon

Rating: 7/10 (5 February 2013)

From Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated director Ron Howard (The Paper, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind), I knew that this film would be focusing on the time of the biggest political and financial possibly in the whole of American history, and I was up for seeing a reconstruction of one the major events in the aftermath. Basically, based on the stage play, set in 1970's, the Watergate scandal breaks in in 1972 and President of the United States, Richard Nixon (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Frank Langella), may have been directly involved, and in 1974 he resigned from office without admitting any guilt and without any apology to the nation. A few weeks later British talk show host (Sir) David Frost (Michael Sheen) is in discussion with the heads at LWT (London Weekend Television) with high interest in interviewing the former President, but they do not believe many people will watch and that he would be willing to talk to anyone, but Frost persuades them, telling them that the live resignation speech was watched by 400 million. After Nixon has recovered from phlebitis in hospital, a deal is made after securing the figure of $600,000 (originally $500,000) for a series of interviews, paying an advance, but Nixon's post-presidential chief of staff Jack Brennan (Kevin Bacon) doubts he can pay the entire sum, and Frost is being turned by all U.S. broadcast networks because of his lightweight approach during interviews. Deciding to finance the project privately he prepares his research and questions with his friend and producer John Birt (Matthew Macfadyen), and investigators James Reston Jr. (Sam Rockwell) and Bob Zelnick (Oliver Platt), he also turns down the offer of lead involving a Federal Courthouse in Washington. Frost does get to meet Nixon before the interviews process will begin, and he is warned about his approach by the former President's people, but even these things don't make him fully realise the antagonistic nature the talks could bring between the two men, and certainly he cannot comprehend how important they could be in the careers of them both. The first three sessions of recording, each lasting two and a half hours, Nixon is allowed to talk and talk almost uninterrupted and answers rather vague and unimportant questions that tread carefully, these long monologues he gives, such as swift brush through of Vietnam and his achievements in foreign policy stop Frost from challenging him with the pressing questions, so his editorial team express their frustrations and doubt his ability as an interviewer. The final session is the one that will focus on the Watergate scandal, and four days before Frost gets a phone call in his hotel room from an inebriated Nixon, and mistaking him for his new partner Caroline Cushing (Rebecca Hall) he answered the phone with a mention of a cheeseburger, this gets their conversation flowing, but of course Nixon gets serious in saying that the final talk will make or break both of them, he sees it as some kind of psychological battle, where if he wins he will revive his political career, he is sure he will be the victor. Following the phone call Frost goes into action researching all night through to the morning, and having sold the interviews to interested networks and gaining advertising sponsors he accepts the offer from Reston about the lead he has, the next three days he spends preparing, and he is ready for the final recorded conversation with the information he has gathered, including about Charles Colson involved in the scandal. The editors are gripped by Frost's more confident and badgering technique to take on Nixon, even causing him to say the shocking words "When the President does it, that means it's not illegal", essentially concluding he covered up his wrongdoing, and when asked to confirm this Brennan bursts in to stop the recording and take the President out to stop he can incriminate himself more. Nixon thanks Brennan for his concern, but he wants to continue, and when recording resumes Nixon admits participating in a cover-up and in an emotional moment opens up and says that "he let the American people down" and that he regrets it deeply, this was the point of the interview that became momentous, he is congratulated by his crew for creating a must see piece of television. Before returning to England, Frost and Nixon meet at his villa, where the interviewer presents the former President with a pair of shoes, Nixon graciously accepts defeat from the psychological battle, and Frost confirms his question about calling him at his hotel and that they talked about cheeseburgers, the final text tells that the word "gate" has become common in reported scandals, Frost continues to interview, and that Nixon wrote his memoirs, but never escaped controversy, so stayed out of the limelight until he died. Also starring Toby Jones as Irving 'Swifty' Lazar, Clint Howard (Ron's brother) as Lloyd Davis, Patty McCormack as Pat Nixon and Rance Howard (Ron's father) as Ollie. Both Langhella and Sheen give marvellously strong performances as they try to outwit each other psychologically using the power of their words to get and out of each other's heads, the script really relies on strong words, some obviously based on the real interviews, so it feels just as compelling as the real thing, and the story is played out well, even if you don't know much about politics this is a worthwhile watch, a terrific historical drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Film Editing, Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay and Best Motion Picture of the Year, it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Film, Best Editing, Best Make Up & Hair and Best Adapted Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Original Score for Hans Zimmer and Best Screenplay. Very good!