Nai Hollywood Movie : Frost/Nixon

You may not beleive but it is true that this Ron Howard's latest fun
filled movie is based on a thirty year old TV interview !

Story
In the summer of 1977, disgraced former President Richard Nixon (Frank
Langella) sat down with British TV talk show host and interviewer
David Frost (Michael Sheen) for a series of interviews that Nixon
hoped would resuscitate his Watergate-tarnished image, and Frost hoped
would lift his own career to another level. While it made for good TV
at the time, it certainly didn't seem likely fodder for a hit Broadway
play and now a major motion picture. Peter Morgan (The Queen) wrote
the play and adapted it for the screen, turning it into a riveting
cat-and-mouse game between these two made-for-television adversaries.
Director Ron Howard emphasizes the behind the scenes machinations and
all the negotiations between both camps. The off-camera material is
priceless, based in large part on speculative research. Whatever the
final truth of the story, the film gains its real power from it's the
telling.

Acting
Ron Howard turns to the two original stage stars of Frost/Nixon -- a
wise casting decision that almost never happens in Hollywood. It's
true everyone, including Warren Beatty, reportedly wanted to play
Nixon, but it's hard to imagine anyone doing a better job than
Langella in recreating his Tony-winning interpretation of the infamous
Tricky Dick. He has all of Nixon's mannerisms, vulnerabilities and
caginess down pat. Sheen certainly captures the confident nature of
Frost but also his insecurities and the realization that this whole
enterprise is one big roll of the dice. And two actors work in perfect
concert with one another. Supporting roles are well played, including
standouts Kevin Bacon as Nixon's trusted Chief of Staff Jack Brennan
and a hilarious Toby Jones aping the inimitable book agent Swifty
Lazar. As key Frost aides and researchers, Oliver Platt and Sam
Rockwell do a nice job, as kind of the Greek chorus to the situation.

Direction
On the surface, Ron Howard -- better known for his large scale
Hollywood productions like The Da Vinci Code and Apollo 13 -- doesn't
seem the right fit for this smaller scale drama, but his approach
transfers what could have been a flat Broadway screen into a highly
cinematic and stimulating two hours. He captures the rhythms of this
chess match perfectly and chooses camera angles that catch the sweat
behind the cool facades of his two principals. Special mention should
go to the beautiful nuanced work of his cinematographer Salvatore
Totino. Howard is such a gifted filmmaker, he makes it all seem
effortless, easily coaxing two equally superb performances from
Langella and Sheen. Frost/Nixon is a first class achievement.


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