When there’s an idea for a film that hinges so much on the dialogue of two historical figures, you can be sure to see an eloquent retelling from an accomplished cast and crew. There’s no question the minds behind Ron Howard’s historical drama “Frost/Nixon,” have succeeded masterfully in this endeavor.
The story told by “Frost/Nixon” chronicles the events surrounding the 1977 interview between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon. While it was a battle of global recognition for Frost, Nixon was in a battle for redemption with the American people who demanded honest answers to the Watergate scandal.
Many believed the interview was a joke. Frost, who was merely a talk show host, had media moguls believing he was unequipped for the demanding task of provoking a confession from Nixon. At the same time, Nixon had been out of the public’s eye for nearly three years since his resignation as president of the United States in 1974. As their lives and the interview eventually led to being consumed by a single event, both men found themselves in a battle to succeed over endless ridicule.
When the gloves of the interview start to come off, the dialogue has us hanging on nearly every word that emerges from actors Michael Sheen (Frost) and Frank Langella (Nixon). Instead of simply being a battle of historical significance, director Ron Howard has designed a clash between two acting titans who evaporate within their respective title characters. Both do very little to mimic, and everything to evoke all the emotion from a monumental piece of American history.
As commanding as each of the performers were, they only succeed with the help from an immensely potent screenplay by Peter Morgan. By adapting his own play of the same name, Morgan helps Ron Howard deliver a historical showdown through the power of efficacious dialogue and emotion. Now being constructed through the eyes of a documentary-like narrative, “Frost/Nixon” exudes an even stronger sense of authenticity in the manner it was born to be told in. As fascinating a piece of history it was, the examination as a motion picture is even more extraordinary.
If you happen to know nothing about the interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon, “Frost/Nixon” will make you feel as if you just lived them. It’s not entirely certain how much is true in its depiction, but the majestic display of acting talent leaves us never questioning the human integrity it responds to. No matter how powerful the original story may have been, “Frost/Nixon” is the truest example of why historical movies can make for the highest quality fascinating entertainment.
Letter Grade: A
Rated R for some language.
Runtime: 122 min.
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Sam Rockwell, Kevin Bacon, and Oliver Platt
Directed by Ron Howard
