Country: United States
Genre: Drama/ Mainstream
Director: Ron Howard
Year: 2008
Rating: 
WORTH A LOOK
There are advantages and disadvantages to making a movie based on a true story. On the one hand, stuff happens in real life that’s so crazy that you would be embarrassed to make it up (that’s the upside, by the way). For an example, check out the movies about Mesrine, the famous French outlaw. On the other hand, sometimes life doesn’t cooperate by giving you the most dramatically compelling structure possible.
That’s the biggest problem with Frost/Nixon. David Frost, by begging and borrowing, managed to put together the funds to interview former President Nixon over four separate two hour sessions, each one dedicated to a different aspect of his presidency. The problem is that Frost apparently thought of the interviews as a way to get some publicity and ultimately get paid. He couldn’t have cared less about the issues involved.
So, since Frost didn’t bother to prepare, he got his ass handed to him after the first interview. Dramatically speaking, that’s fine. But then Frost repeated the same basic mistake for the next two interviews. Now, that may be what actually happened, but in terms of drama, we lose all respect for Frost. He’s clearly a jerk. Moreover, we are deprived of the spectacle of Frost having to gradually and painfully get it together in order to hold his own with a statesman who was clearly his intellectual superior.
Ultimately, what finally gets Frost’s ass in gear is a (fictitious) drunken late night call from Nixon to Frost’s motel room. Frost actually bothers to study for the crucial interview about Watergate and manages to pin Nixon down, getting about as close to an admission of guilt as you could hope for. The thing is, it’s too easy. Instead of being the David and Goliath story we had hoped for, it’s more like Frost is a fratboy who pulled an all nighter and aced the final. That may be the truth, but it sure doesn’t play as well.
Aside from the structural problems inherent in the material, how is the execution?
Frank Langella is wonderful as Nixon. His take is not merely an imitation. Langella manages to create a nuanced character, combining courtliness, a fighting spirit, paranoia, bitterness and much more. Kudos too to screenwriter Peter Morgan, who doesn’t downplay Nixon’s intellect. How nice to listen to intelligent conversation at the movies! Michael Sheen is all too convincing as intellectual lightweight Frost.
The direction by Ron Howard runs true to form. He’s as slick as always. The technical aspects have that Hollywood A-list sheen. Thanks to the script by Peter Morgan, there’s only so much that Howard can dumb down the proceedings, but his direction of the strategy meetings of Frost’s camp is too broad by half. On the plus side, Howard keeps the proceedings moving along at a reasonable pace. The movie only slumps when Frost repeatedly blows off the first three interviews, but that’s unavoidable.
There isn’t a lot more to say. If you happened to be around during the Nixon debacle of the 70s, the movie will have intrinsic interest for you. Otherwise, I just can’t be that enthusiastic.
