Collector's edition: Penn gets political yet again, now with Nixon

The Assassination of Richard Nixon, released Tuesday by New Line, is one of those movies that for some unfathomable reason fell under the radar. It is a moving and powerful film that many haven't even heard of. Thankfully, now that it's on DVD it has the opportunity to get the exposure it rightfully deserves.

Starring Sean Penn, The Assassination of Richard Nixon is based on the true life story of Samuel Byck and his plot to kill President Nixon. A lowly and lonely furniture salesman, Byck (spelled Bicke in the movie) is a neurotic man whose behavior alienates himself from everyone. His wife (Naomi Watts) wants no part of him and his colleagues are growing ever increasingly suspicious of his actions.

The only friend that Samuel has is Bonny Simmons (Don Cheadle), but that's not enough to stop his descent into madness. Fueled by his hatred of cheaters and liars - Nixon being one of the biggest in his mind - Samuel wants to make a difference in the world. He wants to be remembered as more than some run-of-the-mill salesman loser. What's striking is his plot's eerie relation to Sept. 11 in the sense that Byck wanted to hijack and crash a plane into the White House.

Penn gives another excellent performance to add to his superb career. With a perfect blend of paranoia, nervousness, and loser qualities, Penn creates a sympathetic character whom the audience feels bad for, despite his assassination plot. Perhaps if this movie was given a wider theatrical release, Penn may have been nominated for another Oscar. He was certainly as good, if not better, than his role in Mystic River. Watts and Cheadle do a good job as supporting actors, but do not have enough to work with to make a huge impression.

First-time director Niels Mueller directs the movie with the poise of a veteran, pacing the film in a deliberately slow fashion. The audience gradually sees Byck's character transform into a man full of desperation. Mueller - who also wrote the script - takes advantage of Penn's acting skills, letting the camera linger on Penn's facial expressions, which allow them to describe Byck's feelings, instead of using dialogue. Mueller adds a nice touch of authenticity to the film by using actual network broadcasts at the end of the film.

The DVD is pretty bare-bones, with not much to offer in terms of extras. The only real "extra" included (unless you count subtitles) is a commentary from writer/director Niels Mueller. If you liked Taxi Driver, this film is right up your back alley.