Boy, little Ronnie Howard has come a long way since "The Andy Griffith Show". Though Howard has gained much critical acclaim from some of his earlier films (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Grand Theft Auto), "Frost/Nixon" is as bold as was David Frost when he first thought he could pull off "the interview of the decade". Howard successfully captures the struggles of Frost's efforts: near financial destruction, personal commitment, political strong-arming, and proving the power of the press.

Howard has chosen to take the pairing of Frank Langella and Michael Sheen from the Stage Production and put them on screen in a bigger than life story, about a seemingly bigger than life politician. Backed by a strong supporting cast of Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, and Oliver Platt, the film weaves the tale of Richard Milhouse Nixon's fall from grace, using re-enactment and newsreel footage. The combination is often a clumsy endeavor, but in Howard and Glaser's hands it's a near masterpiece. You're taken back to that moment in history when the Watergate was on everyone's breath.

Langella successfully portrays Nixon's arrogance and frailties. was this man a madman or a genius? Or both? How did one "fluff" TV personality from Great Britain bring down this giant, while robbing Peter to pay Paul in order to keep ahead of near financial demise. There is just that one moment during the interviews where the audience can feel Nixon's superiority fade and Frost pounces like a patient hunter, waiting for a moment of vulnerability: his one opportunity to overtake his prey.

The production design was smart and careful, the soundtrack effective, and the ensemble cast nailed their characters. I was immediately taken back to my teenage years, when this was big news. What would have happened with this script in the hands of Oliver Stone. Would he have backed off as he did with "W"? Ron Howard did NOT, and in the process has restored my faith in film re-enactments and Howard's ability to take chances, as Frost did with this series of interviews. This film is Oscar-bound!

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