The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004) User Reviews (203)

Desperado

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 20 July 2006]

In many ways, "The Assassination of Richard Nixon", echoes the events of September 11, 2001, in that a desperate man wanted to kill then President Richard Nixon, whom he blamed for everything that had gone wrong in his own life. The plot involved the hijacking of an airliner that was going to be forced to crash against the White House, killing President Nixon, who was occupying the mansion at the time. Fortunately, that ill conceived plan doesn't take place as the actions of the enforcement force were able to deal with that man who was a menace to society.

Niels Mueller, who directed, and co-wrote the film with Kevin Kennedy, shows he clearly understood his main character, Samuel Bicke, who as many contributors have compared to Travis Bickle, the Robert DeNiro's character in "Taxi Driver", but all comparisons must end there, in the name, which is almost the same for both men.

Samuel Bicke is a man that has lost almost everything he ever had. His wife and children don't want anything to do with him. His own brother, Julius, knows what Sam has been doing to his business and wants no part of him. Samuel is a man at the end of his rope. He has failed everybody that even cared a little for him. That is why Sam decides on an extreme action for which he will pay dearly.

Sean Penn is the best thing in this movie. He is riveting as we don't dare take our eyes from him for a moment. This actor proves he has a natural intelligence to get under any of his characters in ways that others wouldn't dare. His Samuel Bicke will be one of the best creations he has done in the movies.

The rest of the cast do a good supporting role. Naomi Watts, as a brunette, plays Marie, Sam's estranged wife. Don Cheadle's Bonny is about the only friend Sam can rely on. The wonderful Australian actor Jack Thompson does an incredible job as Sam's boss at the office furniture place where Sam has found employment. Michael Wincott is also good as Sam's brother.

The film's musical score is by Steven Stern. Emmanuel Lubezki did an excellent job photographing the film that tries to show those years during the Nixon's administration. Alfonso Cuaron, a great director himself, produced what seems to be a labor of love that he entrusted to Niels Mueller to direct.

One of the best convincing character study movie ever made. It really digs deep into the modern madness of the American Dream. A haunting engagement.

[ironhorse_iv · 7/10 · 16 August 2015]

When we were kids, we were taught that anybody that work, hard enough, can achieve upward mobility in life with his/her ability. We called this trusted belief, the American Dream. In the modern age, the whole idea of the American Dream is slowly become disillusioned, to the point, that some people, see it, nearly impossible to achieve due to issues like institutional racism, gratuitous lust, and most of all, the greed of corporatization capitalism. Anybody, wondering where, such modern pessimism, came from, would probably, look at the trouble 1970s for answers. Indeed, it was a time, where American pragmatism was at one of its lowest. Unemployment was very high, crime & violence was very rampage, and most of all, the old American values, were being soiled by dirty hands, within the government and in the job market. No wonder, why the American Dream becomes the American Nightmare for Samuel Bicke (Sean Penn), a down-on-his-luck, furniture salesman. Directed by Niels Muller & inspired by tragic, true events, the movie tells the story of an irrational man so disillusion with the American Dream, that he become a danger, not only to his friends, and family, but also to the President of the United States for who, he blames as the cause of his problems. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I kinda have to say, I hate the title of the film. The movie should had been call something else. Clearly, anybody who knows history, knows that Richard Nixon was never assassinated. Unless, it's about his career. Then, yes, I guess, that title could work. Still, the movie isn't really about President Richard Nixon. It's about, his fail assassin, becoming disillusion with the American Dream due to fact, that he cannot find success, by being an honest man. I really surprised that this movie was even made. Clearly, the studio had some questions about whether it would be a good idea to produce a film where the protagonist tries to fly a plane into a famous building just two years after 9/11, but many of the people who work with the film, persuaded them that it'd be a worse crime, not to tell this story. Despite, the movie, being very controversial, the movie was indeed well-made, both in writing and in visual storytelling. I just wish, the movie had a better framing device than the odd use of flashbacks. Still, Sean Penn was amazing as the trouble, well-meaning if slightly eccentric guy. You really could see the depth in his performance with powerful well-written scenes with both his boss, Jack Jones (Jack Thompson) & his brother, Julius (Michael Wincott). He didn't go over-the top, one bit and the supporting characters really help the film work. You see Sean Penn's character, transforms from a normal career ambitious family man into a lonely self-hating psychological killer. There was nothing cartoony about it. A great shade of grey, worth of story-telling. There is a few things, I can nitpick about the film about when it comes to historic accuracy such as the last name chance, and the fact that real Samuel Byck was quite a bit heavier than Sean Penn. When it comes to Sam's backstory being tweaked and altered, the real Sam, had four children while Sam only has two in the film. It also implied, that Sam's loan fiasco happen only a few weeks before the assassination attempt, while Byck's failure to secure a loan happened in 1972, two years beforehand. One of the biggest changes, is the fact, that the movie doesn't mention, Sam, going to a psychological ward in a last ditch, attempt to save his marriage, or the fact, that Sam went to Washington D.C, very often to protest against Richard Nixon, way before Watergate. Still, the overall storyline is much the same as the real-life events, and everything that happens at the airport in the last 15 minutes or so is entirely the same as what happened in reality. The movie ends with such a powerful anti-climax downer way that you would have to wonder, what was the point of the film? The movie clearly isn't trying hard to be an attention-grabber, but I have to say, the movie got green-lite, because the film metaphorically tells, how life is living in a post-9/11 world. While the movie is indeed set in the 1970s, a lot of viewers can see, a lot of mirror-like social tones coming off, from this movie, such as the endless wars, the deeply trouble economy, and corrupt government figures. It's both a sociological analysis of the 1970s and the 2000s. If you like this movie, check out The History Channel special, "The Plot to Kill Nixon." It's worth a watch. Overall: While, some people might not go, see this movie, due to its rough subject matter. I have to say, that the movie needs to be seem, due to its powerful message, about government, business, family and social and moral roles. It's a must-see. The film is essentially the new Taxi Driver for a new generation.

Implosive turn by Penn; one of his best performances ever

[george.schmidt · 8/10 · 3 January 2005]

THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON (2004) *** Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Jack Thompson, Don Cheadle, Michael Wincott. Penn continues to be our greatest living American actor in this volatile, highly implosive achievement as a frustrated businessman circa 1974 who vents all his shortcomings into a half-baked attempt to kill President Nixon in the hope his actions actually add some color to his miserable life and impose him as a significant human being. Novice filmmaker Niels Mueller (who collaborated on the screenplay with Kevin Kennedy) constructs a significant portrait of angst, anomie and alienation yet the outcome proves to be a touch anti-climactic spoiling the rage that has been festering throughout like an undercurrent of dread. Never-the-less Penn is ably supported particularly veteran character actor Thompson as his passive/aggressive prick boss.

A depressingly relevant study of the American dream

[bob the moo · 19 April 2005]

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.

you gotta admit, Nixon really was a crook

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 20 May 2005]

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.

London Bridge is Falling Down

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 10 April 2005]

Much like the Joel Schumacher film of 1993 starring Michael Douglas, this film is about an ordinary man with an ordinary job who is driven to insanity by the injustice and unfairness of his world. While both films teach us that no matter how solid it seems, everything will crumble under enough pressure there is no humor to TAORN. In fact it's the most depressing film like...ever.

I don't know what made me go see TAORN. I'd heard nothing of it but I like Sean Penn and Naomi Watts (they were in the brilliant 21 Grams together) and everything else at the cinema I had either seen or looked crap (Man of the House, Miss Congenatailiality 2) so I chose this, hoping it to be a dark horse. It was well made and acted but it's really, really heavy and I would not recommend it to anyone bored with their jobs or lives in general.

Sean Penn plays the true story of Sam Bicke, a furniture salesman who is estranged from his family, his wife, his children, his colleagues...basically everything. He sees the fatcats around him growing richer and richer while he rots away in his inescapable reality of nothingness. He blames Dick Nixon for his woes, the fattest of all fatcats, the man at the top of the food chain. He believes that if he kills Nixon he might be able to make the slightest of changes to the racist, lying world.

Of course he failed, but watching Sam Bicke crash and burn is a very painful thing to do. What makes it more distressing is that there is never a reason given as to why everyone deserted him. It gave the impression that anyone can be so callous and uncaring and that anyone can be driven to such insanity and desperate measures.

Not a film to see with your girlfriend that's for damn sure but certainly an impressive, if tough to watch, piece of work.

Suicide by airplane.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 7 May 2006]

There's a certain preposterous quality in the thinking of guys like Sam Bicke. A failed salesman and failed family man, his loathing comes to focus on President Richard M. Nixon, whom he intends to get rid of by forcing an airliner to fly into the White House.

The thinking is preposterous because the rest of us -- well, MOST of the rest of us -- can't connect the dots between personal failure and bad luck on the one hand and eliminating a powerful figure on the other.

We can understand a man murdering his wife or the other way around. We can understand murdering an old friend. We usually kill people whose opinions we value, who are in a position to hurt us. But why kill a complete stranger? Richard M. Nixon or John Lennon? The movie tries to explain it for us. Sam Bicke (Sean Penn) is a loser who missed even the caboose of life's gravy train. He failed and Nixon seemed to have all the power and Sam Bicke took out his self loathing on the President. That strikes me as too glib. Why did David Chapman kill John Lennon? In some ways it's better to look at acts like these and treat them as suicides. They've been called Samsonic suicides because they resemble in some ways the suicide of Samson, the guy who killed himself but managed to destroy a temple in the process.

The movie itself is a downer, not because of the talent involved. Sean Penn, as he ages, is beginning to look a little like Harvey Keitel. And he underacts effectively in this role. The supporting players are very good too, though Naomi Watts has very little to do. The pistol that Sam Bicke buys, which he uses to kill his good-natured dog before offing a number of people on the airplane, doesn't resound thunderously. It pops. The perfect sound for the gun of a man who is almost completely impotent. This failed salesman could be the Willy Loman of our day. In fact, the pitiful way in which he tries to ingratiate himself with barely interested people of influence probably owes something to Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. The self immolation is as powerful today as it was sixty years ago because we all know something of how it feels. Attention must be paid.

A case study of a madman whose rationality is as counterintuitive and as convoluted as that of Mobius strip cubed.

outstanding

[jimjimgrande · 10/10 · 23 November 2004]

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.

Death of a salesman...slow descent into madness...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 21 October 2007]

I have respect for SEAN PENN as an actor, but have often been offended by his liberal politics, his rants about a corrupt president and his anti-war stance and bias toward many things in general. But I have to admit that in THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON he gives an exceptionally fine performance as a man slowly descending into madness because of all the everyday frustrations of life.

The film is especially good at detailing the things that keep building up to the man's final act, in which he destroys himself along with some innocent lives. Even the scenes showing him at his mailbox, hungrily waiting for the official word that his "invention" has been accepted--something everyone can relate to who has ever waited impatiently for a certain piece of news to arrive. His gradual descent into madness is done in a way that is gripping without being melodramatic.

NAOMI WATTS is almost unrecognizable as the same woman who played opposite King Kong in the latest reincarnation of that famous film. She's the wife who can't seem to convince her husband that their life together is over. With both a crumbling marriage and troubles on the job sending him over the edge, the story moves at a steady pace toward the inevitable climax.

All concerned deserve praise for noteworthy performances. JACK THOMPSON is excellent as the boss who seems to have Penn's best interests at heart when he recommends reading "How To Win Friends and Influence People", but the socially inept character that Penn plays never has more than a timid grasp of what his boss expects him to be.

Penn moves away from the abrasive characters he played so well in other films to that of a man who stammers and is humbled by authority figures who seem to rule his world in an unfair way. He is completely convincing as the increasingly unstable salesman who funnels his daily frustrations into preparations for a plot to kill Richard Nixon.

Interesting film with a strong central performance by Penn that ranks with his best work.

The most moving film I've seen in years

[buddymail99 · 10/10 · 16 November 2004]

I caught this film at AFI primarily due to my interest in Sean Penn and indeed his performance is spectacular. But Mr. Penn's performance alone is not what makes this a truly great film. The intelligent writing, well-timed and rich score, and supportive performances by Naomi Watts, Jack Thompson and Don Cheadle blend perfectly in this marvelously crafted feature transporting the viewer into the lives and era of the exquisitely human characters who are so elegantly portrayed. Sean Penn's performance leans heavily on the clever and complex writing which offers him the opportunity to display an impressive range of pathos. The writers have managed to depict the very human and sympathetic side of a character that would typically be cast as the villain. I think this is a hugely important film for that reason and on many other levels as well. The writers are able to very subtly include sociopolitical commentary without being "in your face" or at all judgmental as the political arena is viewed through the lead character's eyes yet not really distorted due to the inclusion of archival footage. The unexpected doses of humor matched perfectly with the poignancy of the lead character's plight. This film is so moving, scenes and dialogue echo in the corners of the mind for days after the first viewing. I'll definitely be seeing Assassination again.

unrelenting pathetic man

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 26 September 2013]

It's 1972. Sam Bicke (Sean Penn) is a disturbed man who feels disconnected from the world. He has been kicked out of his home by his wife Marie Andersen Bicke (Naomi Watts). His friend Bonny Simmons (Don Cheadleis) works at a garage. He's bad at his job as a furniture salesman. As his world spirals out of control, he fixates on a plan to hijack a plane, and kill President Richard Nixon.

Sure it's a big time performance by Sean Penn as the incompetent delusional loser. But it's just unrelenting how ridiculously pathetic Sam Bicke becomes. It grinds you down as he loses all connection to reality. The pace is a slow meditative walk through his crumbling world. It just doesn't have the energy of Sean Penn's more iconic loser role Travis Bickle in 'Taxi Driver'.

Stunning debut

[yinchris · 10/10 · 11 November 2004]

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.

Penn's Extraordinary Work Carries a Bleak Portrait of a Real-Life Psychopath's Mental Descent

[EUyeshima · 7/10 · 17 March 2008]

Sean Penn's scarifying, coiled-spring performance is the predominant force in first-time filmmaker Niels Mueller's fictionalized story of would-be assassin Samuel Byck, who became obsessed with killing then-President Nixon in 1974. Those who have seen Stephen Sondheim's musical "Assassins" will recognize Byck as one of its infamous characters. His name has been changed to "Bicke" in the chilling 2004 film version, but the basic skeleton of the true story remains. After losing his sales job, his wife and a government loan to start his own business, he became so paranoid that he decided to hijack an airliner and have it crash into the White House. The parallels to 9/11, especially the events recreated in Paul Greengrass' viscerally powerful "United 93", are obvious, but the bulk of this relentlessly downbeat film is about Bicke's descent into madness, one that Penn evokes with supple dexterity. In a performance that immediately recalls Robert DeNiro's (perhaps) coincidentally named Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese's 1976 classic, "Taxi Driver", Penn proves again to be among the most effectively risk-taking of actors.

The screenplay itself, co-written by Mueller and Kevin Kennedy, reflects a more predictable storyline, most of which is a flashback. Showing apparent signs of a bipolar disorder, Bicke struggles with a life full of compromises and deludes himself into thinking he is an honorable man. His grand ideas of a thriving business and a loving marriage are at odds with reality, but instead of facing up to the challenges, he slides quickly from meekly pathetic to utterly pathological. He even thinks composer Leonard Bernstein is somehow his muse and writes him of his grand plans. The film's last ten minutes are eye-flinchingly realistic, but they provide the necessary denouement to a tragically misguided footnote in U.S. history. Beyond Penn, there is a trio of strong players used minimally in the film - Don Cheadle as Bickle's only friend and would-be partner Bonny and submerging their Aussie accents convincingly, a brunette Naomi Watts as Bickle's estranged waitress wife Marie and Jack Thompson appropriately greasy as his deceptively avuncular boss. The 2005 DVD provides a solid set of extras - an extremely informative commentary track from Mueller, a brief behind-the-scenes short, and several deleted scenes.

All form, no coherence or believability

[morlock9 · 3/10 · 22 January 2005]

A big disappointment. Penn is a poor imitation of De Niro in Taxi Driver, or Hoffman in any number of films. The over-the-top angst Penn shows soon becomes predictable and I got tired of closeups of Penn's facial contortions as he schleps his way through one personal disaster after another. It's an odd performance. Penn seemed to be acting in front of a mirror and not really connecting with the other actors. Plus, I just plain didn't buy the set-up. What made Penn's character so different from a hundred thousand other losers in 1974- a difference that made him nuts enough to plan assassinations where others didn't? The film didn't make this clear, and as a consequence the ending is unbelievable, almost ridiculous. There were smiles in the theater at the pointless conclusion, as people looked at each other and said "Wha the heck?!!" The movie would have been better if Penn's character had forgotten about Nixon and killed his boss, or his brother. But, you protest, this is based on a real story! OK then, show me the link. Having Nixon in the background on TV sets during any number of personal tragedies is not enough to make me think Penn's character would hijack a plane and try to kill the man. Hey, I remember those times, and Nixon actually came off pretty well on television. Obviously, there was a whole dimension to Penn's character the writers missed- maybe on purpose. There were dozens of left-leaning and anarchistic groups in the early seventies who were relentlessly crucifying Nixon with a manic and rabid intensity. Was Penn's character thick with any of them? Probably. And there's the link. He'll be a success to his new friends, and REALLY show his brother, if he knocks off Nixon. Maybe he wants to impress some revolutionary hippie-babe he's met. There were plenty around. I'd buy that. But the film only touches on this aspect. But even so, just having Penn's character drop in on a Black Panther office a couple times with a donation, a flaky idea and a speech is not enough, IMO, to justify the bloody and violent conclusion. A couple good performances, NOT Penn's, gives this movie a three out of ten.

See Bicke Run

[tostinati · 13 May 2005]

Penn's Bicke is a vulnerable, halting man who never, somehow, connects with the rest of the world. Success eludes him. The fat lunkheads he works for far surpass him in income and mastery of all circumstances. Bicke lives a raging interior existence. He is not a glib man. When he finally speaks out, it percolates up unfiltered, an unsorted jumble. (He blows his loan attempt simply by talking for too long.) He can't win for losing. So is the failure his or The System's? He can't answer this, but arrives at the interpretation that is for him inevitable: The Man™ is keeping him down, getting over on him by lying and cheating and stealing. In short, it is because he is the moral better of those held out as shining representatives of The System™ that he can't beat them at their own evil game. Physical violence, he decides, is the only way to avenge the emotional violence that's been heaped on him.

The direction is masterful. The oppressive, Kafkaesque scene between the Bicke brothers (after Sam is caught stealing from his older brother), alone, shows up the work of many Hollywood veterans with the effectiveness of its stark simplicity and emotional directness. This film not only throws most multiplex junk films into the trash can with insolent ease, but reminds you of the depth to which American Film can still aspire– successfully, on occasion.

Excellent performance by Sean Penn

[ulf-29 · 6/10 · 15 February 2005]

The movie is about a guy that ultimately makes an attempt to assassin Richard Nixon. Sean Penn plays the main character that only wants well for the people around him and the world. Turns out that everything he does is a disaster. The movie shows well how he paints himself and his surrounding in to a corner.

Since the main character is driven to achieve big things in life, he decides to make an attempt to assassin Richard Nixon.

Sean Penn plays this character extremely well and his performance is the main reason to watch this movie.

6 out of 10

A compelling film carried by its lead actor

[MovieAddict2016 · 7/10 · 29 December 2006]

"The Assassination of Richard Nixon" tells the alleged "mad story of a true man" who attempted to hijack an airplane and crash it into the White House to kill the United States president. From reading the plot description - especially post-9/11 - it sounds like the main character here would be a detestable one, but it is a testament to the skills of Sean Penn that he manages to make the character empathetic and realistic. It's also a testament to the strength of the filmmakers that they don't resort to cheap sentimentality to "force" the audience into sympathizing with Bicke.

Sam Bicke (Penn) is a 44-year-old furniture salesman living a life as a "slave" to the corporate world. He wants to open his own business, but doesn't get a loan because his partner is black. His wife (Naomi Watts) is in the process of divorcing him and he is slowly losing contact with his three children. He detests his boss, he has no money, and he wants to be his own man. "Slavery never ended," he claims. "They just gave it a new name: employee." Bicke narrates his story in a series of letters to composer Leonard Bernstein, referring to him as "Mr. Bernstein" and "Maestro." Bernstein's own recordings of Beethoven's 4th and 5th piano concertos (aka "Emperor") make up the soundtrack of the film, which is eerie, tranquil and unsettling depending upon the scenes it underscores - it works really well.

This is ultimately a film in the tradition of "Taxi Driver" and "The King of Comedy" that is an insight into the mind of an everyman who succumbs to the pressure of every day life and finally loses his mind. The movie manages to stand on its own as a picture without purposely drawing parallels to these other films, and the fact that Penn's character is named Bicke isn't a reference to Taxi Driver - after all, this is based on a true story. The real man's name was spelled "Byke," and even if some creative liberties were taken here, it's a solid film that is well-made and an effective portrayal of a man on the brink of madness.

Reasobnable Drama about a dysfunctional man

[Ozzy2000 · 7/10 · 6 July 2008]

The real life Sean Penn known for wife bashing and aggressive womanising which led to his recent marriage breakdown did not need much acting ability to play this role of real life loser Sam Bicke. Sean Penn has never impressed me and I believe he is almost as over-rated as Australian Actors in the USA. In "Mystic River" we saw a violent little angry man who ends up murdering the wrong man in a very brutal murder.

Here we Penn playing the pathetic Sam Bicke who in real life was a furniture sales man who was intimidated by his boss and thoroughly rejected and divorced by his wife. Bicke struggling not only to survive the American Dream but the universal Western dream in fact this desperation is probably more applicable in Australia which is now the leading materialistic one dimensional country in the post modern world.

Strangely enough Bicke's psychopathology drives him to attempt to assassinate Richard Nixon by stealing a plane and flying it into the White house. Sam Bicke was a Jewish man who tried to emulate his successful brother by setting a business with an African American friend and thus also try to also resurrect his failed marriage.

The film is an overdramatization of the real life drama and the insensitive and hard headed performance by Noami Watts as Sam's wife was to over acted to be any thing like the real wife. It has been said that this for told the 911 incident by three decades but that is totally ridiculous as this type of thing has happened before and had nothing to do with Islamic terrorism. Comparisons to "Falling Down and Taxi Driver" are also really idiotic as those films were very different to each other. None the less the film struggles to exemplify the that part of the human condition commonly referred to as urban solitude and its psychopathology of which it had been the component of thousands of bizarre criminality. It usually makes for compelling viewing and for this reason I would recommend the film. The poor acting let it down.

Best film of the year

[calif101 · 10/10 · 2 August 2004]

I saw this film at Cannes and thought it was fantastic. There is not a flawed moment in the entire film. The performances are amazing and any intelligent film fan will see Sean Penn's performance as one of his best if not his very best ever.

Additionally, Naomi Watts is outstanding. She disappears entirely in her role as Marie and is almost unrecognizable from anything she's ever done in the past. Jack Thompson, the great Australian actor of Breaker Morant and Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith fame is stunning. I can't believe he hasn't been used more in the United States. Not to mention the always great Don Cheadle and others...

The story itself is chilling. This is one relevant film that everyone should see. I don't want to give anything away but suffice it to say that this film discusses with great depth and insight issues that are burning in everyone's minds these days -- terrorism, 9-11, powerlessness as a voting public, etc., etc.

This film is gripping from start to finish. It is a carefully crafted character dissection that takes you inside the mind and heart of Penn's character. The film couldn't have succeeded without Penn's brilliance. The art direction and cinematography are stand out as well as the editing which keeps the film moving at a very assured pace.

This film is as good as they come. It's the kind of film they used to make and I was thrilled to see that some filmmakers and actors had the courage to tackle such complexities as are tackled here.

Roger Ebert calls "Nixon" one of the best films at this year's Cannes film festival...Le Monde in France called it a near masterpiece and in Rome's largest paper they wondered why this film instead of Fahrenheit 911 wasn;'t garnering all the attention. I agree with all of them. Amazing what the director and cast were able to pull off, simply amazing.

This film is an absolute gem and a must see for any intelligent film-goer....It will become a classic...guaranteed.

A grain of sand

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 23 January 2005]

Greetings again from the darkness. All it takes is Sean Penn's name on the marquee as sufficient reason for me to see a film. This time that that is combined with a story that has fascinated me for years. Similar at times to "Falling Down" and "Taxi Driver", this inspired-by-a-true-story, captures the desperation one might feel when dwelling on the flaws of our system and the daily sacrifices we must make just to get by. Watching Don Cheadle repeat to Penn's character (Sam Bicke) that "It's a job" and seeing Bicke's total lack of comprehension is very powerful stuff. Naomi Watts is once again teamed with Penn, this time as his estranged wife who obviously has reached her limits with Sam's character flaws.

First time director Niels Muller (who co-wrote the underrated "Tadpole") provides many powerful scenes that build the frustration in Bicke's life. Jack Thompson is superb as the slick furniture salesman-boss who tries to forge a path in sales for Bicke through Dale Carnegie and Norman Vincent Peale books. Watching Bicke try to connect with the Black Panthers is disturbing, although his "zebra" idea is funny and brilliant. Seeing Bicke hug Cheadle's son once for each of his own kids is poignant, yet touching. Mostly watching the greatest living actor is an honor and privilege that should not be missed.

Although I am not sure how Niels Muller got this gig, the wonderful story, terrific cast, and executive producers Leonardo DiCaprio and Alexander Payne deliver a story that is compelling and lives up to its tag line of "A mad story of a true man".

A brilliant achievement in film-making!

[julio79 · 10/10 · 12 November 2004]

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.

Carefully constructed film about a man at the end of his rope

[rosscinema · 7/10 · 1 August 2005]

Like "Taxi Driver" from the 1970's this is a film about an outsider looking in and the personal frustrations that are pent-up until a certain point is reached and though we've seen material like this before this is still a very well made effort from a director making his debut and allows one of our finest actors to (once again) shine. Story takes place in Baltimore in 1974 where we see Samuel Bicke (Sean Penn) who is lousy at being an office supply salesman and who's marriage is just about over, though he insists that their working on it.

*****SPOILER ALERT***** Sam can't come to grips with the fact that his wife Marie (Naomi Watts) doesn't love him anymore and when he comes to visit their two daughters he tells her that his new job will change everything. Sam's boss Jack Jones (Jack Thompson) embarrasses him on the job and gives him advice on how to succeed at being a salesman to the point where Sam is given books to read about positive thinking. He knows he's a terrible salesman but what Sam really wants to do is start a tire business with his only friend Bonny (Don Cheadle) though his application for a loan is dragging along at a pace that he can't handle. When he's sitting alone in his apartment Sam records his thoughts on a tape recorder and sends them to composer Leonard Bernstein detailing his ever growing frustrations at not only his life but with the world in general including how President Nixon lied to the people.

With his debut film newcomer Niels Mueller shows great promise as a filmmaker not only with the good detail in the overall look but with the pace that allows the material to flow nicely which benefits the actors as well. Penn is easily one of our best actors and Mueller has enough sense to give him all the room he needs to give another solid performance which he does without wanting any sympathy from the audience. The film does a good job of making sure that viewers don't feel any remorse for Sam but instead makes sure that the circumstances leading up to his demise is clearly understood by all. The only part of the story that doesn't necessarily ring true is the supposed friendship between Sam and Bonny because Sam is clearly a man who's working on loose hinges and I couldn't believe that Bonny would allow him to come over for dinner with his family! Mueller and Penn paint a deep portrait of a pathetic outsider who's desperate to be heard and though we certainly don't feel sorry for him the talent involved make this film a riveting affair to watch.

This film is amazing -- 5 stars

[pepsicokedew · 10/10 · 20 September 2004]

I give The Assassination of Richard Nixon five out of five stars. It was one of the big buzz films in Toronto and I had to work every possible angle to get a ticket to the sold out screening when it made its premiere. The theater in Toronto was over a thousand seats and was packed. The audience was completely into this one -- there was plenty of earned laughter as this film has a great deal of humor before it gives way to relentless, heart-wrenching drama.

It's the story of a man who tried to kill President Nixon in 1974 and is a moving, emotional, entertaining film. Sean Penn is Sean Penn -- just the best that there is and this is as great as anything he has ever done.

I heard while I was in Toronto that the film was still being worked on after it first screened in Cannes so this was the first screening of the finished film (so I be careful when reading reviews that you are reading a review of the finished film). It is amazing, amazing, amazing and I hope it gets out to as big an audience as possible. Thank goodness filmmakers are making films that matter. 5 stars out of 5!!!!

Naive system critic

[stensson · 7/10 · 24 April 2005]

The masterpiece about these matters is and will probably remain Arthur Miller's drama "Death of a Salesman", which mercilessly and strongly hits the American system and tells what big and small business often is about. There are always people, many people, who gets hurt also in the best of worlds and the best of economies.

Here is another "little" man, another loser. But everything is too obvious, both in the script and unfortunately in Sean Penn's acting. These things certainly happens to people, and even much worse. We are living in economies, not societies, but the audience is here underestimated. This isn't life and it's also a little too childish to be considered good drama. But Naomi Watts is brilliant.

Anyway it's a good thing watching a film which is questioning the system. Is it a sign of us getting the 70s views back? Are everybody getting tired of the hallelujah monetarism?

Very average movie

[superscal23 · 5/10 · 2 September 2005]

The Assassination of Richard Nixon is an overrated movie. Everybody desperately wants it to be more than that, since we are living in the us against them political era of the 21st century. The problem with that is that the film is based on actual events, and not much is done to dramatize those events. The climax is exactly as it happened, according to a little research I did after seeing the movie. Therefore, in spite of the desperate attempt to make this a Penn vs. Bush film, it really isn't. It's just a character study of one troubled man in 1974.

The performances in the film are just fine. They're kind of hard not to be as Penn, Cheadle, and Watts are some of today's best living actors. I liked Cheadle's character the best. He portrayed a man who is troubled by the world around him, yet he still works hard to make a good life for himself and his family. Penn's character, Sam Bicke, on the other hand, blames everybody but himself for all of his problems, and sets out to change the world, leaving his friends and family behind.

Watts is fine in her role, but she is wasted as she does not have much screen time in this 95 minute feature. When we meet her, she and Sam are already separated, and just a short while later, the ever present divorce papers appear. More dedication to this relationship would have enhanced this movie significantly.

I felt absolutely no sympathy for Sam Bicke. The movie suggests he was married to a beautiful, intelligent, hard working woman, and was in the process of raising a nice family with her. However, because he could not get over the fact that his job as a salesman sometimes led him to lie to a customer, he threw it all away, and eventually became a murderer, and got himself brutally killed in the process.