--Penelope wrote:Frost/Nixon (2008; Ron Howard) 7/10
Better than I expected, primarily due to the excellent performances; still, the pacing isn't very strong--there were moments when my eyes glazed over.
Agree with the rating, although I thought the pacing was strong. Did have a problem with Morgan's historical revisionism, and Oliver Platt and Sam Rockwell, as Frick and Frack, respectively, play two of the more punchable characters of the year, threatening at times to turn it into an Aaron Sorkin smugfest. It's a well-done movie, and at the end, the final scene between Nixon and Frost is quite moving. If Howard had just kept it on Nixon after Frost left, it would've made a really strong ending, but unfortunately he had to cut away to Frost driving cross-country, having gotten the girl, and Rockwell's character opening his smug yap about how the only thing Nixon ever accomplished was that political scandals now have "-gate" after them, or some such nonsense, and THEN back to Nixon, standing there alone. Those final shots of Nixon standing alone out there in his back yard could've been pretty moving, but the emotional impact was lost in those cutaways.
Enjoyable movie, even with two of the most annoying people yet born sitting behind me in the theatre. They were those people who thought they had gone to see a comedy, and decided that they had to laugh at every third line, whether it was meant to be funny or not.
Also saw Doubt, which was enjoyable as camp, but insane as serious drama. More to come on that one.
Also saw, for the millionth time (actually only the third or fourth, but once was too much), the trailer for that Julia Roberts and Clive Owen thing, Duplicity. It's one of those trailers I hate--it seems so sure of how charming and intelligent and funny it is, and how explosive the chemistry between its stars is. I've never been so sick of a trailer.
Edited By Big Magilla on 1276693622
