Maybe its just me but after all the awards hoopla over this film FROST/NIXON I just wasn’t convinced. Maybe it’s because it was originally a play (by Peter Morgan who also wrote the screenplay) or maybe its just me but I wasn’t pulled in by the films story of journalist David Frost (Michael Sheen) who goes toe-to-toe with former President of the United States Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) to get to the truth behind the Watergate scandal through televised interviews.
Now, I’ll say that my not liking FROST/NIXON has nothing to do with the fact that it was based on a play as this year’s other great based-on-a-play film DOUBT was a great film. It just seems that FROST/NIXON is one of those films that should have stayed a play and is probably infinitely more powerful on the stage then on screen. Director Ron Howard goes a long way to try to put together a great film with a great cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Toby Jones, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, and Matthew Macfadyen. And all of the performances are great. Sheen does another great job as he did in THE QUEEN and Langella (who originated the role on stage) is great as Nixon (some may even say better then Anthony Hopkins version in NIXON). Rockwell as James Reston, Jr. is by far the stand out (and wrongfully over looked by all the major awards) as he dominated every scene he is in.
This film is definitely an “actor’s” film as some of the best exchanges between actors are present here (which is a testament to Morgan’s great writing), but like I said before, the film never truly feels like a film. This is definitely a “play” I’d like to go see but as a film I could’ve waited for it to hit DVD.
Now, I’ll say that my not liking FROST/NIXON has nothing to do with the fact that it was based on a play as this year’s other great based-on-a-play film DOUBT was a great film. It just seems that FROST/NIXON is one of those films that should have stayed a play and is probably infinitely more powerful on the stage then on screen. Director Ron Howard goes a long way to try to put together a great film with a great cast that includes Kevin Bacon, Toby Jones, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, and Matthew Macfadyen. And all of the performances are great. Sheen does another great job as he did in THE QUEEN and Langella (who originated the role on stage) is great as Nixon (some may even say better then Anthony Hopkins version in NIXON). Rockwell as James Reston, Jr. is by far the stand out (and wrongfully over looked by all the major awards) as he dominated every scene he is in.
This film is definitely an “actor’s” film as some of the best exchanges between actors are present here (which is a testament to Morgan’s great writing), but like I said before, the film never truly feels like a film. This is definitely a “play” I’d like to go see but as a film I could’ve waited for it to hit DVD.
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