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FROST/NIXON Ron Howard Starring Frank Langella Michael Sheen Sam Rockwell Kevin Bacon Oliver Platt Two years ago I saw Frost/Nixon at the Gielgud Theatre in London. The play itself was a phenomenal piece and delightfully acted. Since then I have sung its praise and eagerly awaited the cinematic release. With Peter Morgan adapting his own script and the two leads playing David Frost [Sheen] and Richard Nixon [Langella] in tact, I was sure it was going to be a great success; thankfully I was not disappointed. I was lucky enough to attend a Q&A screening and had a chance to briefly speak to (more shout at) Michael Sheen and Peter Morgan... but more on that in my next podcast. For those that don't know their history, the 37th President of the United States, Richard Nixon was implicated in the cover-up to break into the opposing party's headquarters. Amid the scandal, Nixon resigned and the country spat at him but one thing they never got was admittance or any form of apology. British talk show host, David Frost, inspired by the thought that it would be 'good television' pitched a request to interview the exiled ex-President. Without proper funding or syndicate backing, Frost proceeds to pay for the interview out of his own pocket. To fully research the subject, Frost hires two additional advisers, James Reston [Rockwell] and Bob Zelnick [Platt] to aid his producer (John Birt played by Matthew Macfadyen) in drafting poignant questions and topics of debate. As the final interview approaches it becomes apparent that only one of the two gentlemen can come out victorious. The film has been perfectly adapted, changing the soliloquies into reflective documentary-style talking heads and creating all-new sections for the audience to muse on. I must confess, although the story was still very powerful, I thought the ending had a much greater impact on stage and lost a certain something on-screen, but this is a minor quibble. Similar to In Bruges, this film reads like a play: small, tight-knit cast, claustrophobic sets and witty dialogue continually bouncing back and forth; despite the temptation to expand the film on a much grander scale - a fact I commend both Morgan and Howard for. The new actors filling the parts did so fantastically, especially Sam Rockwell, who represented the highlight of the supporting actors and the humour has been perfectly preserved, even enhanced in certain places. Although Morgan explained he never intended his play to be a political comparison for our contemporary standing (the notion of holding our politicians responsible for their mistakes) it inevitably will be and I should imagine many American viewers will cry out 'they should do this to Bush!' As a political bio-drama, it's a very compelling piece and Howard's direction demonstrates a loyalty and respect for the award winning play and an immense amount of integrity, passion and talent for character stories in general. I should imagine this being heralded as one of the year's best and greatly rewarded at the Oscars. There was just one point that niggled at me, one that nagged and groaned and kept me from marking this ten out of ten and that was the score. I have immense respect for Hans Zimmer but I felt the score was so rushed, last minute and wholly forgettable. I'm not sure if this was intentional (as there was no music in the play) or not but I felt it was an area that the film was wanting. Other than that, it's a marvellous achievement and another shining jewel from Peter Morgan. Release Date: 23rd January 2009 The Scene To Look Out For: Although people always focus on the actual interviews, they only contribute to about eighteen minutes of the final running time. One of the most memorable moments is the fictional phone exchange between Nixon and Frost but I would like to direct your attention to Frost's introduction to Caroline Cushing [Rebecca Hall]. Analysing him a little too accurately, Frost becomes ever-so-slightly squeamish and uncomfortable. It's this look behind his eyes that explains the character's drive, that all he's trying to do is impress those around him and prove the detractors of his past wrong; a fact which spurns on and justifies the aforementioned phone call later on. Notable Characters: I have nothing but sheer praise to sing for both Mr. Sheen and Mr. Langella for both the play and this film but I have to mention Sam Rockwell. Reston is a liberal American who feels completely betrayed by Nixon and comes to the group with a very specific agenda. The character himself is passionate and devout but Rockwell injects a great deal of humour into the fanatical to create a very rounded character. Very rewarding indeed. Highlighted Quote: "You have no idea how fortunate that makes you; liking people and being liked - having that facility, that lightness, that charm. I don't have it. I never did." In A Few Words: "Spectacular adaptation of the acclaimed stage production and inadvertently, one of the most relevant politically comparative pieces of the year" Total Score: 
9/10Matthew Stogdon |
