A Howard Movie w/o archetypes?!!

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2009)

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Perhaps the best American film of 2008, Ron Howard's Frost / Nixon is a fascinating pseudo- documentary recounting the infamous interviews David Frost (Michael Sheen) conducted with resigned President Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) in 1977. Adapted from playwright Peter Morgain's play, the screenplay ingeniously co-opts the wholly satisfying formula of a Rocky- esquire sports melodrama, only this time, the boxing takes place on a figurative chess board. What makes this movie so utterly fascinating to watch is the constant mental maneuvering between the adversarial leads, where Nixon takes on the invincible air of a seasoned champion, and Frost the outclassed, long-shot newcomer.
For a number of reasons, this entire project was destined to be a success long before the cameras ever started to roll. Not only had the source material the good fortune of being polished to a brilliant sheen through its successful run in the theater, the two lead actors had the benefit of reprising the same roles they had been playing in the same play. Langella and Sheen deliver flawless and thoroughly convincing performances, both of them having mastered their roles long before the film was ever green-lit. Howard too has the upper hand on the material, much of it dealing with the inner workings of TV production, since his entire life has been spent either in front of the camera or behind it. It's unlikely any other director would be better suited to direct this material. The end result is unquestionably Howard's best work as helmer, thanks to a screenplay that is unlike anything else he's ever brought to the big screen; Frost / Nixon is a complex character study of two men, both equally compelling and both plagued by their own unique demons. There are no good guys or bad guys in Frost / Nixon and, despite his evil deeds, Nixon is given what feels like a fair shake...perhaps one he doesn't even deserve.