Kevin Bacon Movie:

		List Price: $39.98		Label: Universal Studios Salesrank: 10319 Released: April 21, 2009
		Our Price: $14.99
		Used Price: $10.51
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: Blu-ray

Editorial Review:
From Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard comes the electrifying, untold story behind one of the most unforgettable moments in history. When disgraced President Richard Nixon agreed to an interview with jet-setting television personality, David Frost, he thought he’d found the key to saving his tarnished legacy. But, with a name to make and a reputation to overcome, Frost became one of Nixon’s most formidable adversaries and engaged the leader in a charged battle of wits that changed the face of politics forever. Featuring brilliant portrayals by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon is the fascinating and suspenseful story of truth, accountability, secrets and lies.

Description of Frost/Nixon [Blu-ray]:
Sounds like a good match: a historical drama from the author of The Queen, but with an American subject in the generational wheelhouse of director Ron Howard. And so Peter Morgan's Tony-winning play morphs into a Hollywood movie under the wing of the Apollo 13 guy. Morgan's subject is a curious moment of post-Watergate shakeout: British TV host David Frost's long-form interviews with ex-President Richard Nixon, conducted in 1977. It was a big ratings success at the time, justifying the somewhat controversial decision to cut an enormous check for Nixon's services. The movie adds a mockumentary note to the otherwise straightforward style, having direct-to-camera addresses from various aides to Frost and Nixon (played by the likes of Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell, and Kevin Bacon); these basically tell us things we already glean from the rest of the movie, adding unnecessary melodrama and upping the stakes. In this curious scheme, the success of Frost's career, which could bellyflop if he doesn't get something worthwhile out of the cagey, long-winded Nixon, is given somewhat more weight than the actual revelations of the interviews. Even with these questionable storytelling decisions, there's still the spectacle of two actors going at it hammer and tongs, and on that level the movie offers some heat. Michael Sheen, who played Tony Blair not only in The Queen but also in another Morgan-scripted project, The Deal, is adept at catching David Frost's blow-dried charm, as well as the determination beneath it. Frank Langella's physical performance as Nixon is superb, and he certainly can be a commanding actor, though veteran Nixon-watchers might find that he misses a certain depth of self-pity in the man. Both actors were retained from the original stage production, a rare thing in Hollywood--and probably Howard's best decision of the project. --Robert Horton

Frost/Nixon [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Dont watch it for a history lesson
2009-12-05 - A play by Peter Morgan on Nixon turns in to a movie by Ron Howard. Peter Morgan has done some amazing work in the past, writing the screenplays of the Queen and the Last King of Scotland. I would consider it worth renting simply for the acting alone. Nixon was never tried because he received a pardon from Gerald Ford. This interview was done by David Frost with the view of giving Nixon a public trail. Nixon agrees to do the interview only because he takes Frost lightly and thinks he can control the course of the interview. Frost bags Nixon because he wants to change the course of his career and wants to be taken seriously. He pays one million for the right to interview Nixon, much of the money coming from his own pocket. The first three interviews go in Nixon's way because he is more experienced in deflecting and also using up the allocated interview time. It is only during the final interview that Frost manages to get Nixon's apologies for his role in the Watergate scandal. You may like the movie depending on your interest in matters as such. Since I love history, I enjoyed the movie. I would give it four stars. 111909

Efficient and compelling account of the Nixon interviews
2009-12-01 - Ron Howard seems to be becoming the king of movies where you know the ending.. Da Vinci Code, which let's face it, just about everyone had read or at least heard the ending, Apollo 13, or even arguably A Beautiful Mind... and now we have Frost / Nixon, a reconstruction of the interviews, and story behind the interviews, of which the main result is already well known.
It's 1977, and Nixon has been out of the public eye since his resignation in 1974. A young TV presenter, David Frost, in need of a hit to bolster his career, puts everything he has into a series of 4 interviews with Nixon. The result - well, far be it from me to spoil the ending, just in case you don't know - but even if you do, just like the director's previous outings it ends up being surprisingly watchable and even tense. Howard succeeds by making this less about the details of Nixon or Watergate, and instead focuses on Frost. What made him tick, and how did he turn things around against the odds. That, and the fascinating idea of the interview as a duel between the two men. That mixture is then admirably steered to success by two terrific performances from the leads... If you are familiar with Frost, when you first see Sheen as Frost your jaw will drop, but beyond the astonishing mimicry, Sheen gets under the skin of the character Frost is portrayed as.. ambitious, performer, party animal, but underneath the surface, a latent ability to grab on like a terrier and not let go. For Frank Langella's part, he certainly captures the haunted frustration and loneliness, combined with fierce intellect, of Nixon. The main two are ably supported by a terrific supporting cast - Kevin Bacon, Toby Jones, Oliver Platt and Sam Rockwell all have moments to shine, though the token female role played by Rebecca Hall seems redundant in the context of the movie.
Whether this is really how it went down has been much discussed, the phone call that is key to the events in the movie, never happened in reality we are told. But these tweaks from history notwithstanding, this is great drama, presented with Howard's trademark slick efficiency. There may be no guns, no car chases and a lot of talking - but it's no less a thriller for all that. What's more, the bluray has excerpts of the original interviews, which make fascinating viewing, particularly in the side by side mode with the movie.
Recommended.


Great acting but there were parts that dragged.
2009-11-26 - This 2008 film tells the story of the 1977 interview of Richard Nixon by David Frost, in which Nixon admitted his guilt in the Watergate scandal. Amidst controversy, and in order to avoid impeachment, Nixon had resigned in 1974, but he never admitted that he knew about the breaking and entering into the Democratic National Headquarters in 1972. He retired to California and tried to live a quiet life but the scandal always haunted him. In 1977, David Frost, considered a "lightweight" British television personality, paid for the opportunity to interview Richard Nixon is a series of four interviews on national television. This film is a fictionalized version of events leading up to the interviews and the interviews themselves.

Directed by Ron Howard, the film stars Frank Langella as Richard Nixon, whose performance is no less than exceptional. He might not look like the real Nixon, but every gesture seemed extremely authentic and the subtle and conflicting emotions he had to portray seemed very real. Michael Sheen was cast as David Frost. He did a wonderful job. It didn't take long for me to totally accept their screen versions of these two important individuals and I must stay their performances were outstanding.

However, there were parts in the film that just dragged. I was occasionally bored. But I also got into the tension of the interviews. This is a good film. Well worth watching. I recommend it but it certainly is not in the "outstanding" category.


Frost/Nixon was Pathetic and poorly writen
2009-11-21 - This so called movie was all about David Frost and what he supposedly went through in the process of interviewing President Nixon. It was a real yawner. The responses of Nixon was not what was on the original footage, it was all taken out of contex, mostly just fiction, on what could have turned out to be a good film. Nixon was portrayed as an uncontrolable vilan, which was not reflected on the original footage of the real interviews. This film made both Frost and Nixon seemed out of step with reality of the times.

Great film
2009-11-11 - "Frost/Nixon" is a very well done film directed by Ron Howard that explores the post-Watergate interviews of Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) conducted by British television host David Frost (Michael Sheen). The film chronicles Frost's desperate attempts to land and finance the interviews, as well as his poor preparation for the first three sessions, which are completely monopolized by Nixon. Frost finally gets his act together by the time it's time to discuss Watergate, and the interview ends up being one of the most successful pieces in all of television history.

I really enjoyed the film. Excellent performances by Sheen and Langella are supported by a wonderful cast that includes liver Platt, Sam Rockwell, and Kevin Bacon. I definitely recommend this film to any political junkie.