The Assassination of Richard Nixon

Just saw THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON last night at an AFI screening. The film is absolutely stunning.

Niels Mueller has such a sure and masterful hand in directing that belies the fact that this is his theatrical directorial debut. He directs with a flair that is never gimmicky and the film is pitch perfect without a single false note (helped in part by the tight script by Mueller and Kevin Kennedy and the elegant editing). The scenes hum with a slowburn intensity and gradually build up a momentum that lunges to the film's explosive final act.

This young director is one to watch.

Sean Penn gave a powerful and nuanced performance that explores the whole range of his acting personas. This IS the towering performance of his career. Excellent supporting work from Naomi Watts, Don Cheadle, Jack Thompson and a scene-stealing Michael Wincott.

Richard Nixon (or as I like to call him, President Pinocchio) brought American politics to an unprecedented low (unfortunately, Tricky Dick was not the last one to do that). His escalation of the Vietnam War, his "dirty tricks" campaign to spy on protesters, his assassinations of Black Panthers and American Indian Movement activists, his overthrow of Chile's government, and Watergate, pretty much destroyed the idealistic view of "good government".

So, it's not surprising that someone would want to assassinate him. In "The Assassination of Richard Nixon", Sean Penn plays Sam Bicke, a disgruntled salesman who is going through a divorce and losing his job. After seeing Nixon's policies play out, Sam takes it upon himself to assassinate the president by crashing a plane into the White House. Maybe that conjures up memories of September 11, 2001, but Penn gives a gritty performance to the point where you can't help but completely agree with Sam's actions.

Refusing to lie to his customers was the thing that saw Samuel Bickle leave his job with his brother's tyre sales business and looks like it will be again in his new job as an office furniture salesman. Failing in his career, Sam has also failed in marriage, with an estranged wife who is seeing another man and children who barely notice whether he is around or not. Trying to do the honest thing and put in the hard work needed to make a success of himself is not easy as he still requires loans to do that. As he slowly crumbles under the pressure of seeing the life he believed he should have eluding him, he watches Nixon survive and sell himself to the nation for a second term. Bit by bit his anger finds a focus and his path is clear.

Although I know nothing of the "true story" back in the seventies, I am in no doubt that this film is very relevant today. Ignore the fact that Nixon was an unpopular President that took America into a war that few wanted (hmmm), this is relevant because many "little" people feel like Sam to some degree; even those not in his shoes will be able to feel for him and recognise why he feels the way he does. The narrative is interesting but the really this is a character study of Sam – although I don't know if it is the real man of the true story but the character study is of a man sold down the river by the dreams he has been promised and the lifestyle he has been sold. In this way the film succeeds because the writing is great; this is a man who is in a lot of pain but not totally pathetic or needy – just a man who wants the simple promise of a family, a job and a slice of the good life. It is telling that he has the standard three children and dog, but his white picket fence around his old home is faded and peeling. If it sounds a simple story then that's because it is, but it is compelling, depressing, recognisable and very relevant to a world where large numbers of people feel cut off from the ruling classes and entirely left out of the dream that we are told to aim for by adverts, the media and our upbringing.

The writing is great but the acting still needs to be good to make it work; luckily it is impressive in almost all areas. Yet again Penn gives a great performance but, unlike Mystic River, it is a performance of restraint and quiet moments that gripped me by how well observed it was. Watts is only in a small role comparatively but she works well as the contrast of Sam – she has been failed as well but she accepts it and just does it in the way most of us do. Cheadle is good as always and Thompson is perfectly cast as the slick embodiment of what it takes to get on – lies and spin! With this heavy support cast, it speaks volumes that Penn still dominates the film and his performance is worthy of awards when the season comes but I suspect that the subject matter and the timing of the film will not make that too easy.

Overall this is a strong film with a good narrative but it works best as a character study. Sam is disenfranchised, feeling betrayed and just trying to make good with the qualities that he has been taught will be enough to bring him a slice of the dream. It is compelling, relevant and sadly, depressingly convincing as a life that many of us will at least be able to recognise if not totally empathise with.

I was lucky enough to find myself at a small screening of this picture and having no expectations, was blown away by what I saw. I felt a knot growing in my chest with every passing minute and it didn't let go until the credits rolled, when I had to take a couple deep breaths and heard the girl next to me doing the same.

What first struck me was the fragility Penn brings to his character. He's a man I'm used to seeing as well, a man's man, and to see him timid and frustrated, swallowing so much emotion in ever bigger chunks...it was remarkable to watch, his performance a credit to director Niels Mueller as well. Penn deserves another award, Noami Watts and Don Cheadle are also excellent, and Michael Wincott, as Penn's brother, makes his one scene memorable.

Niels and Kevin Kennedy have done a truly masterful job with the script, bringing unique voices and characters to life such as I rarely see on screen. Neils certainly doesn't look like a first timer behind the camera. Much of his framing feels emotionally

claustrophobic, while a few hand-held sequences made me think I was an unwilling, unwitting voyeur.

All in all this is a delicately crafted yet weighty and powerful film. I believe it gets released soon in New York and LA, but as Penn's Sam Bicke character might say "The system is unfair and everyone has a right to see this movie" so email ThinkFilm and tell them you want it in your city, too. Kudos to ThinkFIlm for getting behind this movie, they have another festival favorite of mine, "Kontroll" coming out in the spring.

I take my hat off to these filmmakers for their outstanding work.

I was lucky enough to see this film at the AFI Fest screening in Los Angeles this week. They say it will be released at the end of the year, which is not soon enough as far as I'm concerned.

Others here have commented on the brilliant performances of the stellar cast, and I must concur. There isn't a weak link in the group. Particular standouts are Jack Thompson and Michael Wincott. These two actors play character Sam Byck's (Sean Penn) boss and brother, respectively, and they are the authority figures in Sam's life whose influences are palpable in the film even when they are not on-screen. Naomi Watts and Don Cheadle provide superlative performances that we have begun to expect from them as our due. Certainly one could say the same about Sean Penn. He is probably one of the highest praised and consistently well-reviewed actors of his generation, and his performance in this film illustrates why. Penn's elegiac performance is delicately nuanced and precisely wrought. For me, this is unarguably his finest performance to date. I hope that Academy voters won't hold it against him that he won last year because if ever a performance deserves an Oscar, this is it!

Director/Co-writer Niels Mueller has crafted a stunning work that is clearly heart-felt. This is a beautifully rendered character study. The level of achievement in directing, writing, cinematography, and editing are beyond impressive. Although this film was inspired by true events that occurred three decades ago (and the director and the production design team have captured the feel and look perfectly), the film is timeless in the themes that it explores. Considering the fact that this film was conceived and written at least five years ago (according to the director during the AFI Q&A)-before 9/11, before the Clinton Impeachment, before Bush's election and re-election, before the Iraq war-it is uncanny how relevant and topical the themes are.

If you are someone who likes inspired, thought-provoking films that are well-written, beautifully acted and masterfully directed, then I advise you to run, don't walk, to see NIXON when it comes out.