'Reagan' Reviews:" Reagan” takes us on a fascinating biographical journey through an extraordinary American life"

         On August 30, 2024, ShowBiz Direct releases 'Reagan', which has received a mixed reception from critics. The official synopsis of the biopic of the American President reads, "From dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood, and then on to commanding the world stage, REAGAN is a cinematic journey of overcoming the odds. Told through the voice of Viktor Petrovich, a former KGB agent whose life becomes inextricably linked with Ronald Reagan's when Reagan first caught the Soviets' attention as an actor in Hollywood, this film offers a perspective as unique as it is captivating. Dennis Quaid brings to life a story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional biopic, offering a profound exploration of the enduring impact of the power of one man who overcame the odds, sustained by the love of a woman who supported him in his journey." The ensemble cast includes Kevin Dillon, Jon Voight, Penelope Ann Miller, Mena Suvari, David Henrie, and Lesley-Anne Down. But what did the critics say?

       Ty Burr of Washington Post writes, "If you were a recent arrival from Alpha Centauri and approached the new biopic “Reagan” with no knowledge of America’s 40th president, here’s what you might learn: He was an actor who made one notable movie and a lot of TV commercials. He hated communism and Soviet Russia, and the Germans tore down the Berlin Wall because he told them to. He had no domestic policies except trickle-down economics, which worked. He didn’t actively parent any children (though he did grieve a daughter who died at birth). His first wife was a drunk. AIDS was just a word on a quilt. Some angry weirdo shot him, but we don’t know who he was or why he did it. For a movie about the Great Communicator, “Reagan” communicates surprisingly little." Adding, "Dennis Quaid is an acceptable simulacrum in the title role, apple-cheeked and husky-voiced, but Ronald “Dutch” Reagan had a folksy surface charisma that was a huge part of his appeal, and that proves impossible to replicate. Quaid offers a congenial impersonation with little depth, in part because depth is not what we wanted (or got) from Reagan. The performance is a fitting centerpiece in a movie that plays like an overlong Classics Illustrated version of a biography, or something of which Jack Warner, Reagan’s old boss in Hollywood, would approve."

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

        Derek Smith of Slant Magazine notes, "The film’s treatment of its subject is belligerently hamfisted, disingenuous, and incurious." Concluding, "Far more troubling than the comically villainous portrait of Russia is the film’s relentlessly condescending, duplicitous vision of Reagan’s detractors over the years. University of California, Berkeley protesters in 1969 are depicted as whiny brats emboldened by a weak, naïve, and idealistic faculty and administration. Even more offensive and distasteful than that is the film’s playing of Ronnie’s “shhh” to the silent protestors as a joke, only to skip over the one death and 128 hospitalizations that resulted from his sending in the National Guard soon after. Every pro-union liberal in McNamara’s film is shown as an unthinking, freedom-hating Russian puppet willing to turn violent whenever they don’t get their way. And each politician and member of the press calling for accountability in the Iran–Contra affair is driven not by a sense of morality or justice, but a bloodthirsty desire to destroy Reagan’s career."      

        Keith Garlington of Keith & the Movies says, "Reagan” takes us on a fascinating biographical journey through an extraordinary American life. It's a well-made and well-acted feature that looks at Ronald Reagan through an undoubtedly sympathetic lens yet without ever turning overtly political." Continuing, "A lot of time is spent on Reagan’s Hollywood years where he made numerous feature films before and after enlisting in the military. But rather than focusing on his movies, McNamara hones in on the Reagan behind the scenes including his marriage to actress Jane Wyman (Mena Suvari) and their eventual divorce, his busy tenure as president of the Screen Actors Guild, and of course his first meeting with his future wife, Nancy Davis (Penelope Ann Miller). Through it all the film attempts to emphasize Reagan’s willingness to tackle problems head-on as well as his growing concern over the spread of Communism. And they factor into the next phase of his life – politics."