March 30, 2009 9:01 pm

"Frost/Nixon": Best DVDs of April 2009

What it is: A retelling of the real-life interviews that took place between British TV host David Frost and fallen President Richard Nixon, resulting in a David vs. Goliath battle of wits. Michael Sheen (The Queen, Underworld) and Frank Langella (Dave, Superman Returns) reprise the roles they played in the original Broadway play on which the movie is based, Langella winning a Tony for his portrayal of Nixon.

Why It’s Significant: Frost/Nixon was nominated for five Oscars, including the top categories of Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and Actor (Langella). It was an also-ran in all its categories, but that doesn’t mean it should be missed. Langella greatly overcomes his little physical resemblance to Tricky Dick with an inside-out performance that is far from impersonation. Typically the film’s premise would position a viewer to root for Nixon to get his comeuppance, but Langella shows you that there’s not much to root against; Nixon had already had his defeat, he just wanted closure. The film’s fine supporting cast includes Oliver Platt and Sam Rockwell as Frost’s political research team, Kevin Bacon as Nixon’s handler, Matthew MacFadyen as Frost’s TV producer, and Rebecca Hall as Frost’s girlfriend. --Ellen