the only bad part is the footage they used to make nixon embarresed and a couple impolite words, so if your 10 year-old kid asks if he could see frost nixon, there's no need to hesitate.
Frost/Nixon
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Talky, play-based political drama sheds light on history.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 14 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Frost/Nixon was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Parents need to know that although kids may not be clamoring to see this talky, fairly intense political thriller, it serves as an informative introduction for teens (and adults) who want to know more about Watergate and how it brought down a sitting president. That said, the movie isn't 100 percent representative of real-life events, so more background/research may be needed. The main content of concern is a fair bit of swearing (mostly in the second half) and some heated back and forth between characters. There's also some archival footage from Vietnam, some social drinking and smoking, and a little bit of ogling/innuendo.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the film's historical accuracy. Why might filmmakers bend the facts when making a movie based on real life? How could you find out more about Nixon and Watergate if you wanted to? Parents and teens can also discuss why they think Nixon agreed to the interview with Frost in the first place. What did he gain from it? Do you think media exposure/coverage generally helps or hurts politicians? Why? How would you describe the relationship between the media and political worlds?
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More on Frost/Nixon
What’s the Story?
In 1977, British TV producer/presenter David Frost (Michael Sheen) sat down with Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) -- easily one of the most controversial presidents in American history -- for a 28-hour tete-a-tete. Villified by media critics for not being a serious journalist (one character describes him acrimoniously as a "TV show host" who pays for the interview, no less) and unable to wrangle investors, Frost stakes his reputation and cash on his ability make the sit-down a momentous TV event. To do so, he must elicit a confession from Nixon, whose scandal-tinged resignation is now three years behind him. And the president has his own agenda, too: preserving what's left of his legacy. Two men, one victor. Who will it be?
Is It Any Good?
Director Ron Howard (working off a script penned by The Queen's Peter Morgan) keeps a steady hand at the tiller, balancing wonky political material with finely tuned dramatic pacing and framing. FROST/NIXON sets up the talks as if they were a boxing match, with Frost as the charismatic but overwhelmed fighter in one corner, and Nixon morphing from cautious and confident to cornered in the other. It's a power face-off, and Frost seems poised for victory. But is it a victory when your opponent allows you to punch him right on the nose? Or is it his victory for choosing to lose? As depicted, the interview humanizes Nixon, and the nation finally gets a denouement -- thanks to him. And Nixon, in the end, gets his "way back into the sun," if only briefly. It's no neat conclusion, but the film smartly embraces the ambiguity, which makes it appealing ... and frustrating. Despite two hours of hearing the two men talk, we know neither of them (nor their motivations) convincingly.
Langella deserves the kudos that critics began heaping on him when he first took on the role in the stage play on which the film is based. His Nixon isn't an exact facsimile but rather a weathered, haunting, hulking impression. As Frost, Sheen is on the nose, as is Kevin Bacon as Nixon's earnest protector, Jack Brennan. But Rebecca Hall is mere window dressing as Frost's girlfriend, there to amuse the president ever so briefly (she's charming, but the distraction diminishes the film's impact slightly). And while the embellishments in the storytelling may have political history aficionados crying foul, they make for fine drama.
Movie Details
Studio: Universal Pictures, Director: Ron Howard
Run time: 122 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/5/2008, DVD release: 4/21/2009
MPAA Rating: R for some language
Run time: 122 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/5/2008, DVD release: 4/21/2009
MPAA Rating: R for some language
Our Members Say
See all 12 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
e.g. Perfect for older kids, but not for tweens
I Love This Movie. [:
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Kids may find this very boring, best acting ever!
Pretty good movie. Nixon asks Frost if he did any fornicating. Several F bombs. Nixon is drunk at one point. Great acting!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
Frost/Nixon is a bit slow but great acting.
Frost/Nixon is a very good film and bio-pic form director Ron Howard I think people will like it more than i did but this best picture nominee is definetly worth seeing mainly because of it's key characters played by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen.
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
AWESOME
This movie is excellent :] for any political junkies like me. Only a few bad words.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
Very intricate plot, enjoyable!
Many reviews of this movie have suggested that children can not see this movie but on the contrary an intelligent 9 year-old can sit down and enjoy the historical signifagance of this movie. It is informative and entertaining.
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I rate this title on for age 16 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
Good movie! Loved the acting!
Saw it on DVD. My husband and I both enjoyed it very much. I didn't grow up in the US and the movie made me curious to do some more research on Nixon and the era...
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I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
Good Movie
Well It's about nixon and mostly the president doing something illegal and then trying to cover it up
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
frost vs nixxon
this film suprsed me because it was entertaining and smart the r is because of many f words. the film is brilliant recreation of history is entertainig yet thoughtful
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
Good
Fantstic actors make film but its nothing special
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
Great Historical Drama
Frost/Nixon is an excellent historical movie. It could easily have become boring, but the director does a remarkable job of keeping this from happening. Althogether, it is nicely paced, very interesting, and full of history that many of us younger adults/kids have never before been aware of. Parents: it's completely appropriate for teens. A man and a woman are shown obviously nude in bed (sensitive bits are comvered), we see a nude man and a nude woman from the back, and there is some swearing. Many kids won't understand it, but for those who will, it's great.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 100% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
| 50% | of parents say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking |
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