Imagine, 2008
Mov No. 44159
Genre: Biopic
Rated: R
Directed by: Ron Howard
Staring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt
Oscars: 5 Nominations (Picture, Director, Lead Actor (Frank Langella), Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing)
AFI 100 years, 100 _____ tributes: None
Runtime:2h 2min
Best quote: "Are you really saying the President can do something illegal?" "I'm saying that when the President does it, that means it's NOT illegal!!!" - David Frost and Richard Nixon
When John F. Kennedy was killed in November, 1963, it was the end of an era of innocence in America. Gone were the days of cool cars, sock-hops, going to the malt shop and parking at lover’s lane. In came the days of Vietnam, free love, peace and “hippies.” The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Beach Boys. Man on the moon, the summer of love, Woodstock and drugs, drugs, drugs.
Kennedy was seen as a charismatic, handsome new leader of the United States. His opponent was the vice-president; a well-spoken politician named Richard Nixon.
Nixon won the presidency in 1968, and made the most of his first term. He made diplomatic relations with China, implemented the only balanced budget between 1961 and 1998 in 1969 and helped try to stabilize the economy. His first term was fairly successful. His second term was not.
Scandals plagued his second term. He was actively involved in a break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters, located at the infamous Watergate hotel in Washington, D.C. Nixon built a cover-up which ultimately culminated in his resignation from the presidency in August, 1974.
With his immortal words, “...I Shall resign the presidency, effective at noon tomorrow...” another era came to a close.
Nixon had tarnished the prestige of being the American president. He tarnished his own reputation along with it.
Ron Howard (who won two Oscars for his film A Beautiful Mind in 2001), directs the story of David Frost (Michael Sheen), who was a small time talk show host who ultimately risks a personal fortune in order to interview the disgraced former president Richard Nixon (Frank Langella).
Based on true events, the Frost/Nixon interviews drew some of the highest ratings in American television history and culminated in Nixon declaring that he let the people of America down.
Though a loose at the beginning, the film becomes a taught thriller by it’s climax. It is riveting and intriguing at the same time.
The film’s star, Frank Langella, doesn’t look much like the former president; however, at times he does look quite similar and from side views, he does. He sure does sound like Nixon, though. Langella got the accent down pat!
When an actor, playing a real person (for example, Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line) looks like the real life figure (the most important aspect) and nails the mannerisms, you are drawn right into the film and don’t realize it’s an actor playing the part. Frank Langella doesn’t look like Nixon but got the mannerisms and accent perfect. It is still hard to escape the fact that this is a biopic like you can do for other films (like the aforementioned Walk the Line.)
Langella earned an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Nixon, and it was well deserved. Langella is a terrific character actor who has finally landed a staring role and took full advantage of the part. His co-star, Michael Sheen, was amazing in the role of David Frost, and was an equal to Langella’s Nixon. He deserved an Oscar nod himself, but was not rewarded accordingly.
Frost/Nixon was given five nominations total, including nods to director Ron Howard and to the film itself. Although the facts are fictionalized somewhat, this is a typical, “Hollywoodized” film but nevertheless delivers a punch and gives us a terrific view into a trouble part of American history.
Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Milk, The Reader, *Slumdog Millionaire
Is the movie worth your time to watch?
8.5/10 23-01-09
