I could say a lot about this movie, but it is one of the more simpler movies to understand.
Sure some history might help, but Frost/Nixon is about two people. David Frost, and Richard Nixon.
The entire movie is just their floating heads, talking.
But seriously. Frank Langella plays Richard Nixon, who just had the Watergate scandal and has since resigned from being president. Michael Sheen plays David Frost, a British TV reporter who likes to interview people. At the time of the movie I don’t think he was as famous as he is right now. A lot of the fame came from his interview with Nixon, as he was the first reporter to really get a crack at it after the resignation.
Do you want your movie reviews to be a history lesson? Didn’t think so. That is what watching the movie is for.
Eventually the interview happens over a few parts. After the first part, Nixon is walking all over Frost. He is a big time guy, carries a lot of power behind his voice, and can steer the topics his way. But it is up to Frost to man up, so to speak, take control of the interview, and get Nixon to talk about the scandals!
Sam Rockwell and Kevin Bacon are also in this movie, but you shouldn’t be watching it for them.
Here is a picture of the real interviews. Everyone is uglier in real life.
“But Gorgon Reviews, why would I want to watch a movie about two people just talkin’? Not only just that, but two people talkin’ about stuff almost 40 years ago. Fuck the past!”
Well, foul-mouthed reader, they talk pretty good like.
I mean, that might be my whole argument. I was captivated some how by all of it. The sense of history being made (or at least the possibility) and the mental chess match between Frost and Nixon for the debate. Had a lot more than those two, producers, agents, bodyguards, PR people, etc getting in the way too. And money. But just watching the conversations was good enough for me.