Frost/Nixon

**** Stars

"I'm saying that when the President does something that means it's not illegal." -Richard Nixon

The powerful words from the once-powerful man hint at the questionable motives behind the most powerful job in the world. What could be timelier than that?

Frost/Nixon is one of the most exciting films of the year and not one bullet has to fly on screen to earn it. Ron Howard has always been a wonderful filmmaker and to see him give us one of his best movies in years is a true gift of mature cinema. The story is simple and complex, funny and sad, and important without preaching a side of political preference.

When Richard Nixon resigned from office in 1974, he hid in the shadows from the media for three years. In 1977, the ex-President and most wanted man in America (even though he was pardoned from Gerald Ford) finally broke his silence and agreed to sit down and discuss the years that defined his legacy. He chose David Frost (a fantastic Michael Sheen) as his medium to the public. Frost, known for his playboy antics, thought this would be the perfect ratings boost he needed to secure himself as a media sensation. Nixon felt that someone who lacked political bite would be the perfect prey for him to gain back his popularity from the entire world. Is this David vs. Goliath or what?

The first hour of Frost/Nixon is a funny historical lesson in the eyes of journalism. The transition from David Frost the entertainer to David Frost the journalist is an outstanding feat that deserves a bonafide celebration. Ron Howard seems to be having a blast behind the camera on this film because everything on screen feels so natural. Plus he has over four or five actors from his previous films (mainly Apollo 13). On that note, it's great to see Kevin Bacon back in a role that suits his strong acting persona.

I am proud to note that I am rambling on the praise of this film. And now I shall continue.

Frank Langella as Nixon, like Josh Brolin as George W. Bush, is more than just an impression. He embodies the character as a man of substance. Of course Nixon was one of the worst (if not the worst) Presidents in American history, but the film focuses on Nixon as a human being. After all, he is one just like the rest of us.

And people forget to remember that. With so much information in history books and media stories covering him as a figure larger than life, Nixon is still a human, one who expresses the sheer emotions of a depressed man at the end of his regretful road. When the interviews finally take place in the final hour of the film, audiences will be on the edge of their seats waiting to hear the words he should have said the minute those men broke into the infamous hotel. Frost/Nixon's reenactment of this is an absolutely thrilling engagement of American history and one of the year's best films.