INSTEP Magzine

Frost/Nixon is undoubtedly a film that journalists will watch with glee. For the film celebrates the spirit of a journalist - the desire, not only to catch a big fish for an interview, but also to find a story to make your name on. And Frost/Nixon is a story that one can definitely draw inspiration from: it is based on the true story of the interviews with US President Richard Nixon conducted by Sir David Frost (now, a highly celebrated journalist - at the time of the interview, a man known for being more of an entertainer than someone who could interview Nixon right after Watergate)
Frost/Nixon has been adapted by Ron Howard from the play based on the interviews, keeping the characters from the theatre production - Frank Langella as Richard Nixon and Martin Sheen as David Frost.

Set in the 1970s, the film takes us to an era when news broadcasts were far from what they are now. Television interviews didn't have the same impact as they have now. Though most groundbreaking investigation scandals are brought to us by television today, back then it was the Washington Post that broke the Watergate scandal. And at this time in the movie, David Frost is in Australia as he sees Nixon resigning on television and he asks the question: what are the ratings you can get for this on TV? That idea takes hold in his mind and he attempts to do the unthinkable: get a no holds barred interview with Nixon, at a time when Nixon is inherently disliked because he got off scot-free for the Watergate scandal.
David Frost embarks on an audacious spree then - trying to convince Nixon's people, getting the financing together and putting together a 'crack political team' - James (Sam), John (Matthew), Bob (Oliver) as they put together the research material to prepare the uber confident David for the interviews.

On the other hand, Richard Nixon appears to be bordering on the edge of irrelevance in the minds of the American public, since all they want is a Watergate confession. His people convince him that he should agree to the Frost interview, since they presume that Frost is so utterly out of his league that Nixon can walk over him. That, with the allure of a large paycheck, helps Nixon agree.

And so the movie builds up to the interviews - and the very contrasting personalities of Nixon and Frost, both of who desperately want to succeed at this. Their careers hang in the balance, and at one crucial point, Frost whispers, 'only one of us can win'. But in the midst of this drama, the general feeling in political and journalistic circles that David Frost is all set for failure, he retains his flamboyance and an air of playboy drama, accompanied throughout the film by the gorgeous Caroline Cushing (Rebecca Hall).
And as the interviews progress, it is the relationship between Nixon and Frost that takes center stage of the film. The characters appear to like each other, with Nixon even drawing on all their similarities in a drunken phone call to Frost, but it is their handlers (including Jack Brennan played by Kevin Bacon, who believes in Nixon's legacy more so than Nixon at some points) who bring them back to the issue at hand. Nixon must deflect talk of Watergate, while Frost must extract a confession that will make the interview a success and give the American public what they deserve: the truth.

Frost/Nixon is a delight. It is one of those examples of living history that one must watch, moreover important because the significance of tell-all interviews has become so common in this media age. Frost/Nixon takes us back to an era when this was a rarity. Moreover, the acting by both Sheen and Langella is brilliant, as they appear to fit the skin perfectly of the characters, and according to news websites, Sheen briefly stalked Sir David Frost to be able to play him. While Langella's physical resemblance to Nixon is a bit off, it does bring in the shades of Nixon: the pride, the inability to understand the difference between right and wrong in the context of Watergate, and the reflections of a man concerned with his own legacy.

It doesn't come as a surprise that Langella is up for an Oscar in the Best Actor category. And even though we predict he will not take home the coveted trophy, this nomination was certainly deserved.
Coming back to the film, I expect many a journalist in training will be looking for a Nixon-like target in the weeks ahead, hoping to make their name as on a story ala David Frost. Celebrities and politicians, watch out!