Smartorhypo
Highly Overrated But Still Good
Twilightfa
Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.
Kimball
Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
Cristal
The movie really just wants to entertain people.
SnoopyStyle
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'.
supernova_painkiller
One more time, I have watched a movie, a great one that so underrated that it makes me sick.This movie is so good. It reminds of Taxi Driver, but I do prefer this one although the other one was great), because I think here we have a very close look to what can make an honest, decent man go wild. Then you understand what the system do to the people, and although I completely disagree with Sam Bicke's attitude, I can understand why he did it. I we can see the human being behind it, maybe a regular person can become mad if everything turns against him.Sean Penn is acting was no less than awesome! I got surprised and disappointed how could him not be nominated for almost anything! What happens with the guys of the Critic Board, Academy, Golden Globe or similar retarded people. We have here a masterpiece, a great achievement. Penn just gave another brilliant performance, and you didn't give a damn. Shame on you. One of Penn's best!This movie is very great and I truly recommend it!
sergepesic
This quiet, powerful movie is loosely based on the real events. Samuel Bicke, meek and obedient person with the intense hidden anger, is slowly unraveling. His marriage is dissolving, he hates his job and his obnoxious boss, the bank loan for starting a new business is rejected. Typical story of a man without his place in this world. God knows, there are hundreds of millions of people like him on this unfortunate planet. But, something made this man stand apart and try to kill the president Nixon. The attempt itself would be called inane if innocent people weren't killed.The tragic ending to a sad life story. This intense movie uses a perfect language to tell this story, so pertinent to the times we live in.More and more lost souls, and the future looks far away from rosy. Millions of question and none of the answers.
tieman64
Based on a true story, "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" tells the tale of Samuel Byck, a disgruntled salesman who hatches a plot to kill President Nixon. The film is very similar to "Taxi Driver" (Paul Schrader based Travis Bickle on Samuel Byck) and Sean Penn is riveting as our increasingly insane "hero", but the film never really takes off.A greater director would have focused on the causes of Byck's depression, his business failures, his army past and the economic situation of Nixon's America, but director Niels Mueller is content to keep things simple. IE: Byck hates the president because his life sucks! 7.9/10 – A wasted opportunity. Still, the film ends with a haunting sequence and features a powerful performance by Sean Penn.Worth one viewing.
