Following the resignation of US President Richard Nixon (Frank Langella), television talk show host David Frost (Michael Sheen)wants to arrange a series of interviews with him to air on television. Part of the reason Frost thinks the interviews would be compelling to both the public and the television networks is that Nixon never admitted any guilt of or offered any apology for the Watergate scandal which led to his resignation. Nixon, with a few interview offers on the table, ultimately agrees to Frost's proposal partly because of the high $600,000 guaranteed appearance fee, and partly because he wants to take command of such an interview to show the world that he is still presidential so that he can resurrect his political career. Nixon believes he can railroad Frost, who is better known as a pop cultural entertainment styled interviewer than an investigative political interviewer. However, Frost has every intention on these interviews being hard hitting and pointed; in addition to his producer John Birt (Matthew Macfadyen), Frost hires two investigative reporters known for their previous exposés on Nixon: Bob Zelnick (Oliver Platt) and James Reston Jr. (Sam Rockwell). Nixon's chief adviser for the interviews is his current chief of staff, Jack Brennan (Kevin Bacon). Prior to the interviews, ground rules are negotiated, most importantly surrounding Watergate: the total percentage of time Watergate can be discussed and the definition of what constitutes Watergate. Hilarity ensues as the four interviews progress, each side trying to manipulate the interviews to his best advantage. Behind the scenes, Frost is having difficulty with the rest of his professional life: his regular talk shows are being canceled and he has not reached anywhere near the total $2 million financing for this project. Ultimately, Frost has to finance the project with much money out of his own pocket. It isn't until a chance telephone call that the tides turn on the interviews.
Trivia: Both Frank Langella and Michael Sheen repeat the roles they created on stage. Ron Howard would only agree to direct if the studio would allow both actors to appear in the film version. Frank Langella won a Tony Award in 2007 for playing Richard Nixon in the original stage production. Even while off-camera, all of the actors would remain in character and continue the Frost/Nixon rivalry by bickering and making fun of each other. Director Ron Howard admitted voting for Richard Nixon in the 1972-election. In 1977, the year of the actual David Frost and Richard Nixon's interviews, Ron Howard was directing his first feature film, Grand Theft Auto.
First off, let me say that I am reviewing the Best Picture Nominees in alphabetical order, so this should have been The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, but I have already reviewed it, you can see the review below. So next up is Frost/Nixon. You know, it's funny. I was alive when Watergate happened and these interviews were shot, but I was 7 when they were so I have no recollection of the actual interviews. I do recognise the name David Frost, but I couldn't point him out in a croud. What made this movie good was the interaction between David Frost and Richard Nixon. I liked the games Nixon played on Frost trying to get him out of he comfort zone. It makes me kind of want to see the original interviews to see if they come across the same way. The movie kept me interested in what would come next. Frank Lagella did a great job as Nixon. Will he win the Best Actor catagory? Probably not, there is a lot of good competition there.
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