THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON Special Screenings

Sean Penn is mesmerizing as furniture salesman Sam Bicke, who, betrayed by the broken promise of the American Dream, slowly becomes unhinged in Richard Nixon’s America.

Set in 1974, with the constant chatter of Watergate permeating life, Everyman Sam Bicke loses his feeble grip on reality after losing his job and his wife. Reminiscent of TAXI DRIVER, THE ASSASSINATION . OF RICHARD NIXON is based on the true story of Bicke, who, after being turned down for a small-business loan, attempts to fly an airplane into the White House. Although the film is serious in nature, some light moments highlight Penn’s masterful range, including a particularly memorable scene when the newly politicized Sam goes to the Black Panther’s office to donate money.

With hauntingly familiar scenarios and Penn’s stunning performance, debut filmmaker Niels Mueller and his co-writer Kevin Kennedy have taken a forgotten incident from America’s recent past and turned it into a conspicuously cautionary tale of where we are now.