Howard was brilliant, Langella was robbed

Rating: 9/10 (6 May 2009)

The premise of "Frost/Nixon" certainly doesn't elicit much excitement. A movie about one person interviewing another person, even if one of them is Richard Nixon, seems like it would be a yawner. But Ron Howard turns it into a captivating piece of cinema. My first reaction was that Frank Langella was robbed for not winning the Academy Award. After setting aside my initial reaction and contemplating the movie, I became even more convinced. His performance was one of the best I have seen in years. Langella did what even Nixon failed to do: He made him a seem like a three-dimensional human being. He should have won hands down. I spent the summer sitting in front of the television set watching the Watergate hearings (we didn't have many channels back then), so it was fascinating to see this movie. But for those who didn't, it should still be a must-see. Not only will you learn a little about an important piece of history, you will be imminently entertained. Frost/Nixon is a real winner.