Published at: Nov. 25, 2008, 2:18 p.m. CST by merrick
As I mentioned in my Australia review, I've been trying to finish this review for about a month. It's not for lack of inspiration or time (well, it is time, actually), but because of how gushing every draft I've written has been. Re-reading my initial thoughts after the screening even had me wondering if I was a plant. So I'll try my best to keep the hyperbole to a minimum, but I make no solid promises...
At a recent press screening, before the film had begun, I was asked by another critic if I'd seen anything really good lately. I had to think carefully. "WITHNAIL AND I," I replied (the Caps being purely formatting, I didn't yell at him). Sadly, the best film I'd seen in recent months had been one made about two decades ago.
The following day, I saw FROST/NIXON.
I'll take this moment to proclaim something utterly unfashionable, but something I stand behind nonetheless: I like Ron Howard.
Not just 'cos I grew up watching a lot of "Happy Days" repeats, not just because he was partly responsible for "Arrested Development", one of the greatest shows of the past decade, and not just because of his brilliant election video.
No, I really like him as a director. It's sometimes a tough case to make given he's the man behind, for instance, A BEAUTIFUL MIND, which I still consider to be the worst ever Best Picture winner (sorry, CRASH -- if it's any consolation, it was tight). And I know WILLOW isn't a big favourite, but I grew up on it, and can -- to my mild shame -- recite pretty much the entire thing. It was the first movie we had on VHS and I love it. But, above all that, the man made APOLLO 13, which I think is one of the greatest examples of making a quality film that still works as a fun popcorn flick. For my money, APOLLO 13 is hard to fault, and for the skill Howard displayed on that film, I always pay attention to what he does.
Thankfully, that attention has paid off. For though it meant suffering through THE DA VINCI CODE -- which I think is a spot-on adaptation, and therefore a rubbish film -- it meant that I was able to give myself over completely to one of the best films of 2008.
FROST/NIXON covers an interview that English television presenter David Frost was able to score with Richard Nixon following his impeachment. I've seen some of Frost's work, I've seen some of the interview, and I've heard him describe what went on behind the scenes, however, I was not in any way an expert on the back story when I went in. Luckily, I didn't need to be.
The film lays out everything you need to know about both Frost and Nixon, without putting the story on hold to do so. Michael Sheen, who seems to have had more success being Tony Blair than Tony Blair has, plays Frost. Ideally, we'll see him get a nomination early next year, as this is a completely flawless performance. Frank Langella took a little longer for me to warm to him; unavoidable, given he looks practically nothing like Nixon. These problems soon give way, as Langella embodies the mannerisms and being of Nixon, and by the time they reached the first interview, I had no problem believing I was, in fact, watching Richard Nixon.
Peter Morgan adapts his own play without a single second of extraneousness, but nor does he rush it. This is a perfectly-balanced script, and although I wasn't particularly fond of THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL, between FROST/NIXON and THE QUEEN, Morgan's name on a movie is now an automatic must-see element for me. Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, Kevin Bacon Matthew Macfadyen and Toby Jones are all, unsurprisingly, superb in their roles, but it's Rebecca Hall that stands out. Hall has, from THE PRESTIGE to VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA to FROST/NIXON, established herself as one of the most compelling actresses working. The fact that she plays the only prominent female character in the film certainly helps her to stand out, but she has an indefinable quality that elevates her above most, and I wouldn't complain too loudly if she appeared in every film I saw from this point onwards.
After some of the garbage I've seen recently (MIRRORS, MAX PAYNE, QUARANTINE, etc), it feels fantastic to finally see a film this good. And though the running time is slightly over two hours, it doesn't overstay its welcome. Ron Howard is welcome to churn out Dan Brown rubbish, so long as he makes some more films like this one: brilliant, intelligent, and one of the year's best. See it.
