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Ron Howard Makes Head-Fake Toward Non-Hackery
Trailers / Daniel Carlson

Trade News | September 16, 2008 | Comments (15)

fnixon.jpgAs a director, Ron Howard long ago earned his place in the pantheon of feature helmers without a cause, direction, or any kind of discernible worldview. He’s basically Spielberg + boredom - daddy issues. But despite an almost pathological inability to put any kind of personal touch on his films, the man nabbed an Oscar for directing A Beautiful Mind, which also took home best picture honors that year. So he mostly knows what he’s doing.

I’m hoping that he takes that hint of skill and runs with it for Frost/Nixon, based on the post-Watergate interviews of Richard Nixon by British talk show host David Frost. The film is written by Peter Morgan (The Queen), adapted from his own play; what’s more, Nixon and Frost are being played by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, respectively, who also starred in those roles on the stage. So if anything, the film’s not hurting for talent, especially factoring in the co-starring role of Sam Rockwell, who’s pretty much everywhere this fall. The trailer looks pretty good, too: Howard’s been directing for 30 years, but this could be his arrival.


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Comments

meh........

Posted by: GILP at September 16, 2008 10:37 AM

I saw the trailer for this at Burn Before Reading. I've always liked Frank Langella - I never would've figured him for the role of Nixon, but he looked pretty goddam good. It's nice to get him out of television for a change...

Posted by: Skittimus Maximus at September 16, 2008 10:47 AM

I'm sorry, but I think it looks brilliant. Mock at will, but my ass will be seeing this.

Posted by: Nicole at September 16, 2008 10:52 AM

O....K..... I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I keep seeing Langella as Dracula. The only time I can "see" Langella as Nixon is when his face isn't on the screen but I can hear his voice. The minute they show his face again, I loose Nixon and see Dracula.

I remember the real Frost / Nixon interviews but didn't watch them at the time. As a teenager, I just wasn't interested. I'm kinda wondering who this film is aimed at, since the people who remember this are in their 70's now.

Posted by: BWeaves at September 16, 2008 10:56 AM

I hope he M. Night's the ending.

Posted by: Kevin Longrie at September 16, 2008 11:01 AM

Perhaps it is aimed at all the now grown teenagers of the time that want to learn more about it but without all of that high pressure reading of books stuff.

Posted by: Zanna at September 16, 2008 11:03 AM

ComPLETEly underwhelmed by Langella's Nixon drag. And the voice is just awful to me. gross.

Diggin' that sweet Frost 'do, though. I rocked that the fuck out of that look in 7th grade, tight polyester plaid bell-bottoms all makin' my narrow white ass look FINE AS HELL, ladies. (Dudes could look too -- art is for the people)

Posted by: firedmyass at September 16, 2008 11:10 AM

Ya know? I think Langella as Nixon might have worked better on stage, when you're sitting many yards away and can't see him up close. The hairline, the posture, the voice, probably worked in that format. In film closeups, however, he's creeping me out.

And the Frost character is too good looking. The real Frost was more ratlike.

Here's the real interview. Godtopus, it's boring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJs80eBGYlM

Posted by: BWeaves at September 16, 2008 11:45 AM

I have a secret. I will see ANYTHING Martin Sheen is in. I love the man.

Posted by: PaddyDog at September 16, 2008 11:53 AM

Don't get too excited, it's Michael, not Martin.

I saw this before "Burn After Reading" too. Out of the four, and I think they've now all been mentioned, this and "Milk" are what got my attention. "The Soloist" just made me think "can this movie show its face after 'Tropic Thunder''s Oscar ceremony?" and "Doubt" seemed like "this looks like a perfectly well made and performed Oscar downer".

So yeah, I think I'll watch the politics movies, at least this one.

Posted by: Jay at September 16, 2008 12:29 PM

Paddy--do you mean Michael Sheen or Martin Sheen? Because this movie stars the former. I know, because I first read it as Martin Sheen, and then looking at the clip, I was thinking, "that doesn't look like Martin Sheen," and then had to reread the post to understand my mistake.

Posted by: tamatha at September 16, 2008 12:30 PM

Um it sounds like Sean Connery's voice coming out of Nixon. And there is nothing right about that.

Posted by: Amanda47 at September 16, 2008 5:49 PM

"pathological inability to put any kind of personal touch on his films"
Two words: Andy Howard.

Posted by: Veb at September 16, 2008 8:21 PM

michael sheen was quite wonderful in "dirty filthy love", a weird little british flick from 2004.

Posted by: glittergirl at September 16, 2008 8:29 PM

I saw this in the theatre if the film is a third a good as the play it will be genius.

Posted by: Catag at September 17, 2008 5:33 PM