[8]

It’s amazing how interesting a movie about an interview can be. Granted, the subject of the interview is the first American president ever to be removed from office, and the motivation behind the interview is to get him to admit to the American people his abuse of power. Frost/Nixon is based on a stage play by Peter Morgan and director Ron Howard (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) chose to keep the leading actors from the play in their roles for the film. Frank Langella plays Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen plays British tabloid talk-show host David Frost. Both men do well in the roles, supported by a well-cast supporting roster that includes Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell, Kevin Bacon, and Toby Jones. While Howard and Morgan portray both the title characters as flawed and relatable men, I’d say the film is more one of social and historical examination than a character study. The public consciousness — our ethics and morality — are what this movie is really about. Howard keeps it more fascinating than you’d ever imagine.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Frank Langella), Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay