The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Niels Mueller

Writers:

Kevin Kennedy (written by)
Niels Mueller (written by)

Release Date:

22 October 2004 (Greece)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | History | Thriller

Tagline:

The mad story of a true man.

Plot:

Based on real life events, Assassination is set in 1974 and centers on a businessman who decides to take extreme measures to achieve his American dream.

Plot Keywords:

Richard Nixon | Watergate | American Dream | Bank | Salesman

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Sean Penn	...	Samuel J. Bicke
Naomi Watts	...	Marie Andersen Bicke
Don Cheadle	...	Bonny Simmons
Jack Thompson	...	Jack Jones
Brad William Henke	...	Martin Jones (as Brad Henke)
Nick Searcy	...	Tom Ford
Michael Wincott	...	Julius Bicke
Mykelti Williamson	...	Harold Mann
April Grace	...	Mae Simmons
Lily Knight	...	Receptionist
Jared Dorrance	...	Sammy Jr.
Jenna Milton	...	Ellen
Mariah Massa	...	Julie
Eileen Ryan	...	Marie's Mother
Derek Greene	...	Joey Simmons

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of graphic violence. (also edited version)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | Mexico

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Brazil:14 | Malaysia:18PL | Malaysia:U (cut) | Germany:12 | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Ireland:15A | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #40689) | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Company:

Anhelo Productions

Trivia:

Sean Penn was attached to this project for six years before they found the financing for it.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The news on TV first shows the speech of President Nixon answering the House Judiciary Committee Subpoena for Additional Presidential Tape Recordings where he says "the boil must be pricked" from April 29, 1974. Later in the movie the news mentions Robert Preston landing a helicopter on the lawn at the White House the previous evening but that event occurred on February 17, 1974.

Quotes:

Samuel Bicke: Certainty is the disease of kings.

Movie Connections:

Features "Let's Make a Deal" (1963)

Soundtrack:

Girl I Love You

I loved this movie

I think this is a remarkable movie. It is great on every level. Sean Penn is better than I have seen him and the guy who plays his boss, Jack Thompson, wow. I am a big fan of Naomi Watts so I am very prejudiced in saying she is phenomenal. And Don Cheadle is one of the best actors around right now so its not a surprise that that is the case here also.

I don't think I've ever seen a film like this. It had me (and most of the audience I saw it with) laughing and getting drawn in by Mr. Penn's character. And then it got very tense and very silent as the film moved toward the end -- which is about the most tense sequence of an intelligent film I have ever seen. I don't want to give anything away but I have to say -- I read the review of someone else on here who called it "taxidriver revisited" and, with all respect, that's about the silliest thing I've read on the IMDb. Anyone who watches this film and starts thinking about and comparing it to another movie instead of 9-11 and the world we are living in right now needs to stop buying DVD's and start watching the news. This movie is so relevant on so many levels. I cannot stop thinking about it. I haven't had that experience for years. I did not think Hollywood was making films like this anymore.

Anyway, I recommend this film big time. I hear it is opening at the end of December. Go see it, that's all I can say -- it is intense and stays with you a long, long time.