*minor spoilers*
Oliver Stone's "Nixon" is one of the least mainstream films ever to see wide release. It's a very non-Hollywood type of movie; despite the big budget and name cast, it usually feels more like an avant-garde film. (Ironically, Disney released this one under its Hollywood Pictures label.) This is not among the director's best work, but it's certainly one of his most challenging, ambitious projects. I can understand why it was a box-office flop; I remember the first time I rented it and had trouble getting a good grasp of all the characters and events of the Nixon presidency, especially with the flashback segments. Nonetheless, I rented it again recently; after having the benefit of being more familiar with Stone's films, perhaps it might improve upon a second viewing? I still felt the same way. It's a cluttered work that lacks the focus of his brilliant "JFK," his very best movie. He seems to have made Nixon on the assumption that the audience knows who all these historical figures are, which lost a lot of younger viewers. On the other hand, when I later saw "JFK," I didn't know who any of these characters were, but their roles in the picture were fairly easy to figure out if you paid attention. "Nixon" does not share this characteristic.
Still, it's an intriguing film, despite its shortcomings. This is one of the few movies that changed my perspective on a crucial issue. Prior to watching it, I had thoughtlessly accepted the popular notion that the guy was a real crook who was unworthy of being our president. However, the film made me realize that these things are never so clear cut. Nixon made a lot of mistakes, but he had his strengths and a true world vision; his strong foreign policy opened the doors to better relations with China. He is not portrayed as an angel, but as a deeply flawed human being. He had the potential to be one of the greatest world leaders of all time, but his own insecurities cost him his career.
Anthony Hopkins doesn't look anything like the late Richard Nixon, but he impersonates him so well that even historians have stated that he captures his personality and mannerisms very accurately. Joan Allen offers a center of morality as Pat Nixon, who silently suffered through her husband's downfall. There are so many supporting actors that one wonders how Stone was able to keep track of them in the first place. My favorites were James Woods as one of his most trusted associates, Bob Hoskins as the infamous J. Edgar Hoover, and Paul Sorvino as Henry Kissinger. I also liked David Hyde Pierce as a member of the White House staff, caught in a tangled web with the Watergate scandal, and Mary Steenburgen as the president's religious mother. Ed Harris has a cameo as well, though I wish it had been possible for him to get more screentime.
There are memorable scenes, such as Nixon humbling himself in prayer, or his late-night visit to the Washington Monument. His domestic conflicts from childhood to adulthood ring true as well. In fact, this is one movie that plays better in its individual scenes than as a whole. But that doesn't mean you can count it out. It's not a perfect movie by any means, but it offers a humanistic, surprisingly balanced portrait of one of the most controversial presidents in national history.
*** (out of ****)
Released by Hollywood Pictures
Oliver Stone's "Nixon" is one of the least mainstream films ever to see wide release. It's a very non-Hollywood type of movie; despite the big budget and name cast, it usually feels more like an avant-garde film. (Ironically, Disney released this one under its Hollywood Pictures label.) This is not among the director's best work, but it's certainly one of his most challenging, ambitious projects. I can understand why it was a box-office flop; I remember the first time I rented it and had trouble getting a good grasp of all the characters and events of the Nixon presidency, especially with the flashback segments. Nonetheless, I rented it again recently; after having the benefit of being more familiar with Stone's films, perhaps it might improve upon a second viewing? I still felt the same way. It's a cluttered work that lacks the focus of his brilliant "JFK," his very best movie. He seems to have made Nixon on the assumption that the audience knows who all these historical figures are, which lost a lot of younger viewers. On the other hand, when I later saw "JFK," I didn't know who any of these characters were, but their roles in the picture were fairly easy to figure out if you paid attention. "Nixon" does not share this characteristic.
Still, it's an intriguing film, despite its shortcomings. This is one of the few movies that changed my perspective on a crucial issue. Prior to watching it, I had thoughtlessly accepted the popular notion that the guy was a real crook who was unworthy of being our president. However, the film made me realize that these things are never so clear cut. Nixon made a lot of mistakes, but he had his strengths and a true world vision; his strong foreign policy opened the doors to better relations with China. He is not portrayed as an angel, but as a deeply flawed human being. He had the potential to be one of the greatest world leaders of all time, but his own insecurities cost him his career.
Anthony Hopkins doesn't look anything like the late Richard Nixon, but he impersonates him so well that even historians have stated that he captures his personality and mannerisms very accurately. Joan Allen offers a center of morality as Pat Nixon, who silently suffered through her husband's downfall. There are so many supporting actors that one wonders how Stone was able to keep track of them in the first place. My favorites were James Woods as one of his most trusted associates, Bob Hoskins as the infamous J. Edgar Hoover, and Paul Sorvino as Henry Kissinger. I also liked David Hyde Pierce as a member of the White House staff, caught in a tangled web with the Watergate scandal, and Mary Steenburgen as the president's religious mother. Ed Harris has a cameo as well, though I wish it had been possible for him to get more screentime.
There are memorable scenes, such as Nixon humbling himself in prayer, or his late-night visit to the Washington Monument. His domestic conflicts from childhood to adulthood ring true as well. In fact, this is one movie that plays better in its individual scenes than as a whole. But that doesn't mean you can count it out. It's not a perfect movie by any means, but it offers a humanistic, surprisingly balanced portrait of one of the most controversial presidents in national history.
*** (out of ****)
Released by Hollywood Pictures