Frost/Nixon [2008] Movie Reviews on CinemaClock

Riveting performances by Michael Sheehan and Frank Langella as the protagonists. Many of us will remember the profound sense of relief, residual national trauma and numbness that accompanied Nixon's resignation. This film treatment is quite theatrical, a result of its origin as a play, and Ron Howard does not intrude, despite what some critics claim. But more time spent on the interplay between the two men with their investigative teams rather than on Frost's distracting romantic interest would have yielded a more substantial film. All in all, it is at least an '8', not quite a '9'. Nixon himself is responsible for the hesitancy to confer excellence. His was not quite a confession during the interviews, more an emotional revelation of near culpability and regret; a fascinating, complex, mean character, whose great achievements in foreign policy have stood the test of time. The back story of Frost's struggles to launch the project is a good counterpoint: promotional creativity meets political craft. Very worth the price of admission.