For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone in selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans. Likewise, Frost's team harboured doubts about their boss's ability to hold his own. But as the cameras rolled, a charged battle of wits resulted.
I watched this film without knowing almost anything about the actual events that are depicted in this film. What a surprise it was! The cast did an amazing job to reflect the actual characters in history while the director did a stellar job in representing it.
Would I watch it again? I don't think so. Would I make my friends watch it? Definitely!
I guess I'm giving it a 10 out of 10 for the acting, for the lighting, and for the attempt.
In other words this is a movie that you want to watch, a movie that will probably be enjoyed (unless you find movies like this boring, and, if you do, you've already made up your mind not to watch it).
However, it fails in the execution. Frost/Nixon should have been a struggle between minds, a chess game, and because of that it needed to have almost a paranoia to it. A tension that could be felt as one side attempted to take down the other.
It missed the opportunity there. Possibly because it was only an interview, possibly because the results of which didn't really matter, either way it missed the tension boat and the film ultimately suffer...
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...
