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For the political-junkie, this is riveting film-making: the ultimate media mano a mano between a famous British newscaster and the infamous former president who resigned in disgrace.

Watch the trailer for Frost/Nixon by clicking here.

"The result is involving, engrossing cinema -- more thrilling, in fact, than Howard’s The Da Vinci Code -- filmmaking of a type rarely seen anymore and sorely missed."

-- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

"The film begins as a fascinating inside look at the TV news business and then tightens into a spellbinding thriller."

-- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"A must-see for political junkies, history buffs, and folks still fascinated by the paranoia-fueled follies of the twitchy, sweaty, decidedly uncharismatic 37th president."

-- Steven Rea, Philadelphia Daily News


An online review entitled "Near Perfect Filmmaking" praises the movie:

After the Watergate scandal and his subsequent resignation, Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) is living in relative seclusion back in California. But, following a lucrative interview offer from British talk show host David Frost (Michael Sheen), Nixon sees an opportunity not only to make some easy money but to return himself to the public spotlight. Meanwhile Frost, best known for chatting with celebrity lightweights, views this as a chance to gain fame and respectability as a journalist in America.

Frost is encouraged by his research aides to go hard after Nixon. But instead Frost throws softballs for the first three interview segments and is easily overwhelmed by his more experienced adversary. Then, on the night before the final interview, Frost receives a strange phone call from Nixon, who basically goes off on a drunken rant. Frost, smelling blood, decides to take a more aggressive approach and on the final day Nixon ends up making humiliating admissions about his role in the Watergate cover-up, perhaps cementing his tarnished legacy in American politics.

How much you enjoy this movie will probably relate to how much interest you have in the subject matter. But there is no doubt that this is one of those rare motion pictures that reaches near perfection in terms in filmmaking. The acting, especially by Langella, is superb and the sense of dramatic timing is impeccable. The small details were also well handled, such as film's spot on depiction of the 70's and Nixon's bizarre fascination with Frost's Italian leather shoes. This is probably the best directorial outing in Ron Howard's career. Highly recommended.

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