Frost/Nixon

CinemaSerf

7/10

5/30/2024

Though it really only comes alive in the last half hour, this is still a powerful dramatisation of the setting up and execution of the interviews between the disgraced US President (Frank Langella) and the enthusiastic British talk show host (Michael Sheen). It was the latter who initiated a proposal with lawyer "Swifty" Lazar (Toby Jones) to suggest the president might like to tell his story. The Nixon camp considered Frost a bit of a manageable lightweight and decide that if he can raise the $600,000 cash, then why not? It takes a while to negotiate the terms, but by 1977 all is agreed and they sit down for the first in a series of two hour recordings. Despite a strong start, opinions seem to solidify around Frost being, indeed, a bit too weak to elicit anything newsworthy from his savvy political opponent. Luckily, Frost has the viscerally anti-Nixon James Reston (Sam Rockwell) in his camp and some serious research unearths things that are going to make it very difficult for Nixon to continue to try to remain as aloof and statesmanlike as he would like. It's Langella who really comes into his own as, believe it or not, he actually engenders a little sympathy towards the conclusion. That's all history so no jeopardy there, but I think the characterisation of the president was solid and engagingly delivered an image of a man who definitely believed in himself! Sheen is adequate, as is the weakly cast Matthew Macfadyen as producer John Birt and Kevin Bacon as Nixon's right hand man and borderline disciple Jack Brennan. The writing is occasionally potent here and as we are exposed to Ron Howard's version of events, it gradually becomes quite a compelling postulation to watch and opine about.