MPAA Rating: R for some language.
Run time: 122 min
As boxing fan, this film remind me of Ali vs Frazier, Rumble in the Jungle where the participant exchanging verbal jabs, powered with extreme close ups.
Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon is a dramatized version of the famous 1977 interview where David Frost corner Richard Nixon, a thing not even any inquisitor could ever do at that time. Who is David Frost? He is not the 70s version of Dan Rather or Walter Cronkite, only a talk show host who interview celebrities.
But success in America is unlike success anywhere else. So David Frost (Michael Sheen) try his luck by offering Nixon (Frank Langella) $600,000 from his own pocket to conduct a "no holds barred" interview in California, years after Nixon resigned.
The beginning wasn't look nice for Frost, Nixon can return the jabs while Frost's team, an experienced TV newsman, Bob Zelnick (Oliver Platt) and a researcher, James Reston Jr. (Sam Rockwell) seem desperate to nail the only U.S. President ever resigned.
Sure, the cream of the 12 day interview is the Watergate case where Frost wanted to give Nixon the trial he never has or even push him to confess his crimes. As Frost throw his notepad, we all now that the gloves has come off and Nixon, like it or not, has to throw the towel. This is more than just a Nixon trial that should have happened had Ford didn't give him pardon, it is a cynical look on how TV could reduce anyone's career (or legacies) just by a simple close up.
The performances were compelling, Frank Langella is a serious competitor for Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino in the award season. The script and editing was well paced and what makes me still wonder, how Ron Howard can make a boring interview with heavy subjects very mesmerizing and rewarding to watch.
Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon is a dramatized version of the famous 1977 interview where David Frost corner Richard Nixon, a thing not even any inquisitor could ever do at that time. Who is David Frost? He is not the 70s version of Dan Rather or Walter Cronkite, only a talk show host who interview celebrities.
But success in America is unlike success anywhere else. So David Frost (Michael Sheen) try his luck by offering Nixon (Frank Langella) $600,000 from his own pocket to conduct a "no holds barred" interview in California, years after Nixon resigned.
The beginning wasn't look nice for Frost, Nixon can return the jabs while Frost's team, an experienced TV newsman, Bob Zelnick (Oliver Platt) and a researcher, James Reston Jr. (Sam Rockwell) seem desperate to nail the only U.S. President ever resigned.
Sure, the cream of the 12 day interview is the Watergate case where Frost wanted to give Nixon the trial he never has or even push him to confess his crimes. As Frost throw his notepad, we all now that the gloves has come off and Nixon, like it or not, has to throw the towel. This is more than just a Nixon trial that should have happened had Ford didn't give him pardon, it is a cynical look on how TV could reduce anyone's career (or legacies) just by a simple close up.
The performances were compelling, Frank Langella is a serious competitor for Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino in the award season. The script and editing was well paced and what makes me still wonder, how Ron Howard can make a boring interview with heavy subjects very mesmerizing and rewarding to watch.
1 comment:
This is one my favorite movies from 2008. Great performances especially from Langella. I think this is Howard's best work.
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