FROST/NIXON

Drama
Based on a true story

F.Y.I.
Phlebitis is an inflammation of a vein, frequently forming blood clots in the deep veins of the legs, a condition known as thrombophlebitis. These clots can travel to the lungs causing a fatal pulmonary embolism.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Michael Sheen: British talk-show host David Frost
Matthew MacFadyen: his producer John Birt
Rebecca Hall: Caroline Cushing, his new found companion
Frank Langella: Richard M. Nixon, the former 37th President of the Unitied States
Kevin Bacon: his Chief of Staff Jack Brennan
Toby Jones: Nixon’s agent Swifty Lazar
Oliver Platt: former National Public Radio bureau chief Bob Zelnick
Sam Rockwell: Watergate historian James Reston Jr.

REVIEW
Although it runs for just over two hours, it doesn’t seem like it: crisp editing, an interesting story that unfolds during the television interviews and two outstanding performances all combine to make time go by too quickly.

Great attention to detail and expert cinematography recreate the time and place beautifully. Music by Hans Zimmer is not one of his best efforts; there is nothing of the calibre he has demonstrated in the past. That is not a criticism, just an observation since that the musical score does not take away from the movie, it simply adds nothing special as his music usually does.

CLASSIFICATION
for nudity (a five-second shot of a man running nude towards the ocean and jumping in) and profanity (one singular instance of the vulgar term mother******).

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
This is one of my classic nitpicks: when the telephone caller (Nixon) hangs up, the person on the end of the line (Frost) hears a dial tone. In reality the dial tone is only heard after picking up the phone before dialling.

P.S.
The Director Ron Howard has come a long way since starring as Richie Cunniningham in the TV comedy series Happy Days. Not only has he continued as a movie actor, he’s been a producer and director of many movies including Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man and The Da Vinci Code.