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The Assassination of Richard Nixon struggles to convey deeper meaning, but a fascinating true story and compelling Sean Penn performance are worthy compensations. Read critic reviews
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The Assassination of Richard Nixon Photos
Movie Info
Samuel Bicke (Sean Penn) is a disillusioned salesman whose elaborate views of honesty and morality alienate him from society. He purposely turns away customers, steals from his brother and ruins relationships with his wife (Naomi Watts) and his best friend (Don Cheadle). As Samuel's life spins out of control, he pinpoints Richard Nixon as the man responsible for capitalism and plans to assassinate the president by crashing an airliner into the White House.
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Rating: R (Scene of Graphic Violence|Language)
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Genre: Drama
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Original Language: English
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Director: Niels Mueller
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Producer: Alfonso Cuarón, Jorge Vergara
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Writer: Kevin Kennedy, Niels Mueller
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Release Date (Theaters): original
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Release Date (DVD):
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Box Office (Gross USA): $697.8K
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Runtime:
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Distributor: ThinkFilm
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Production Co: Appian Way, Anhelo Productions
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Sound Mix: Surround
Cast & Crew
News & Interviews for The Assassination of Richard Nixon
Critic Reviews for The Assassination of Richard Nixon
Audience Reviews for The Assassination of Richard Nixon
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I think Penn's outstanding performance somewhat makes up for the film's problems, making it appear engaging where a lesser actor would have floundered with the vague screenplay. The filmmakers go out of their way to establish Bicke as an angry outsider but they never really find a way to connect that with his attempt to assassinate Nixon or the voice recordings he sent to Leonard Bernstein.
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The Assassination of Richard Nixon has everything you could hope for in a quality film. An engaging story full of interesting characters, great acting, score and all that jazz, a great piece of work. The film is set in the 1970s and revolves around it's central character, Sam Bick, a man who can't hold down a job, and has problems connecting with people socially. The film follows Sam on his unrelenting course of bad luck that will eventually prove to be too much for him to take. Compared by many to Taxi Driver, the film perhaps has more in common with Falling Down, Sam always complains about being held down by "the system" and how "the little man" is mistreated and such, the film does very well with this topic, leaving it open as to whether Sam is letting it get to him too much, or if he really is being mistreated, certainly different viewpoints and multiple viewings could generate many different views on the film. Sean Penn as usual is an acting tour de force, I've often criticised him privately for taking what I'd called "Gunning for Ocsars roles" a role that involves a mental breakdown or a disability or suchlike covered in a dramatic manner, that usually guarantees an Oscar nomination. An actor solely concerned with winning trophies, I do sometimes wish he'd take a few more risks rather than sticking to the "oscar" formula. He could be accused of that again here, but to be honest, whatever his intentions with making such a film, if he puts in a good performance there can be no complaints, and here he is exceptional, never going over the top, it's easily one of his best performances and certainly, the character of Sam Bicke is one that any actor would relish and provides good subject matter for a very good film. 4 Stars 9-29-13
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Sean Penn delivers a brilliant portrayle of Sam Bicke. I found the film somewhat great and sad. Bicke reminded me of another movie character named Travis Bickle in "Taxi Driver" and the picture is also errie in it's hiijacking plot that would later be evident of the September 11 attacks. The film shows archive footage of Nixon on television but Nixon is rarely important. Bicke is the main character so it's pretty much a character study of what it was like to live in his shoes...Bicke had a strong hatred of the society and the American system and then finally blaming all of his problems on Richard Nixon. He's going through a divorce, he wants to join and help the Black Panther Party, Bicke can't get a loan on a business he wants to start up, he's heading on a downward spiral that made me cringe and finally decides to end all of his problems by hiijacking an airliner and raming it right into the White House. For an independent picture it's great. Niels Mueller and his crew do a fine job of recreating the 70's period. I'm sure Mueller probably watched "Taxi Driver" before shooting this film because there are scenes where Penn's character Bicke echoes Bickle, even right down to straping his gun down to his leg. This picture is not for everybody but as a character study it's somewhat mesmerizing.
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Not an "entertaining" film to watch here, but Sean Penn's performance as a soul drowning in an avalanche of setbacks is as definite as the sound of a gunshot ... and as clearly recognizable. The rest of the cast compliments the drowning absolutely with apt portrayals of "please God, don't let it be me". Difficult to watch, as I said. Very true.
kevin w Super Reviewer
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