Set at the height of the Watergate scandal of 1974, and based on the true story of Samuel Bicke (Penn), "THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON" is about a hard-working, loving husband and father whose life suddenly falls apart. A trial separation from his wife (Watts) seems headed toward divorce rather than reconciliation and, after a bout of unemployment, the only new job he can find is for an unscrupulous businessman (Thompson) who requires Bicke to lie and cheat on a daily basis. Hovering over his unraveling life is the spectre of Richard Nixon, a dishonored, dishonorable leader who seems to embody everything that is wrong with Bicke's world. Clinging desperately to the hope that he might yet get to live a version of the increasingly elusive American Dream, Bicke decides that he must stop everything Nixon represents. With this in mind, this basically decent, ordinary man, whose only goals are to reunite his family and own his own business, embarks on an extraordinary journey that will bring him face to face with history.
"Sean Penn is his generation's greatest actor, and 'THE ASSASSSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON' may just be his greatest performance yet," says Urman of the film. "With stunning clarity and control, Penn, Mueller, and a brilliant cast have taken a forgotten incident from America's past and have turned it into strikingly contemporary look at where we could be headed today. They have succeeded in making Sam Bicke's story immediate, touching, and terrifying."
About the acquisition producer Alfonso Cuaron says, "Niel's and Sean's passion comes straight out of the screen in this scary tale, which is all the more scary for being based on a true story. THINKFilm has shared this passion for our film from the very first screening at Cannes. We have the same goal: to reach the Big Audience. We believe that this film could easily be compared to the great American cinema of the 70s for its courageous way of presenting important issues through an accessible narrative that can touch this large audience." Producer Jorge Vergara adds, "To produce 'THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON' was a lot more exciting than producing 'Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN'."
Prior to "NIXON," Anhelo Productions, a partnership between Vergara and Cuaron, made the international smash "Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN," (directed by Cuaron,) as well as "CRONICAS" (also presented in Cannes and headed for Toronto). Vergara and Cuaron are the film's producers, and Leonardo Di Caprio, Alexander Payne, Frida Torresblanco, and Kevin Kennedy (who co-wrote the script with Mueller) are executive producers.
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THINKFILM
