Based on Peter Morgan's stage play, Ron Howard directs this
dramatised account of the 1977 TV interviews between scandalised
former President Richard Nixon and British talk-show host David
Frost. Three years after the Watergate scandal that led to his
demise, former president Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) sat down
with Frost (Michael Sheen) to discuss, for the first and only
time, the details of his term in the White House and his
spectacular fall from grace. With the famously steely Nixon
confident that he could come out tops in the encounter, and
Frost's side questioning whether this was a step too far, media
commentators prepared themselves for a PR exercise. But when the
interviews got underway, observers were astonished when both men
abandoned their usual stances, and chose to conduct an open,
honest and frank exchange of views, covering all the areas of
concern that had previously remained off-limits. In addition to
covering the interviews themselves, the film also traces the
difficulties that had to be overcome, and egos that had to
massaged, before the historic events could finally take place.
From .co.uk
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It’s not always that a stage play translates particularly well to
the medium of movies. But for anyone considering such a challenge
in the future, Frost/Nixon is surely a fine template to follow.
In the capable hands of director Ron Howard, the extraordinary
story of how a then-fairly low profile television interviewer
managed to bring the disgraced former President of the United
States to account is, at best, absolutely riveting. Much of the
reason for this is the two leading performances, which are both
absolutely exception. The awards attention for Frost/Nixon has
been directed towards Frank Langella, and truly he’s an actor
long overdue some re. Here, as ex-President Nixon, he’s
flat-out brilliant: a complex, intriguing character portrayed
with real measure and expertise. It’s unfair, though, that
Michael Sheen has been overlooked by some. Fresh from portraying
Tony Blair in The Queen, Sheen is once more brilliant here,
injecting Frost with an erratic, on-the-edge fallibility that
sets up the film’s final act extremely well. Now you can argue,
with some right, that Frost/Nixon flattens out some of the facts
to its own liking, and certainly the portrayal of David Frost
doesn’t seem to do the man too many favours. But when it gets to
the interviews themselves, it’s electric, and proof that you
don’t need a bunch of effects and flashy gimmicks to keep you on
the edge of your seat. Ron Howard has done this to us before with
a true story, in the shape of Apollo 13, and here again, even
though we know the ending, the journey there is quite brilliant.
You really can make compelling drama with just two people sat in
a chair… --Simon Brew
Stills from Frost/Nixon
Michael Sheen stars as journalist David Frost
( https://images-eu.ssl-images-.com/images/G/02/uk-dvd-para/frost1big.jpg )
Kevin Bacon plays Richard Nixon’s aide Jack Brennan
( https://images-eu.ssl-images-.com/images/G/02/uk-dvd-para/frost2big.jpg )
Michael Sheen and Rebecca Hall
( https://images-eu.ssl-images-.com/images/G/02/uk-dvd-para/frost3big.jpg )
Frank Langella works with director Ron Howard
( https://images-eu.ssl-images-.com/images/G/02/uk-dvd-para/frost4big.jpg )
A scene in which David Frost visits Richard Nixon’s home
( https://images-eu.ssl-images-.com/images/G/02/uk-dvd-para/frost5big.jpg )
The superb supporting cast including Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt
and Matthew Macfadyen
( https://images-eu.ssl-images-.com/images/G/02/uk-dvd-para/frost6big.jpg )
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Synopsis
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Written by Peter Morgan (The Last King of Scotland, The Queen),
this accled play makes the transition from stage to screen
with Ron Howard (Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind) in the
director's chair. Frank Langella and Michael Sheen revisit their
roles as the title characters in this drama that pits the
impeached president against British TV host David Frost.
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