Directed by Sean McNamara and written by Howard Klausner, “Reagan” is a compelling cinematic experience despite its vast negative reviews from critics. Some critics have described the film as a “hagiography,” but I think this term undermines certain successes of the 40th president and the purpose of the movie in portraying them.
With a two-hour and 15-minute runtime, the movie does not have an adequate amount of time to dive deep into the details of Reagan’s presidency. Nevertheless, the movie aims to reveal Reagan’s role in beating the Soviet Union. “Reagan” depicts the early life, career in Hollywood, and presidency of Ronald Reagan in the context of the Cold War. Reagan’s story is told from the perspective of a fictional, retired KGB agent (played by Jon Voight) as he describes the fall of the Soviet Union to a young Russian politician in the present day. The beginning of the movie focuses on Reagan serving as president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) during the Hollywood Blacklist in 1947. As entertainment professionals in Hollywood were blacklisted for membership in the Communist Party USA, Reagan assisted the FBI in identifying actors who were Communist sympathizers. During Reagan’s presidency of SAG, he clashes with union organizer Herbert Sorell due to his aggressive labor tactics, and the future president’s political aspirations become clear to the audience.
Before addressing certain political and historical aspects of this movie, I must mention a mild disclaimer: I was not alive during the Reagan presidency. However, I grew up idolizing the fictional character of Alex P. Keaton (played by Michael J. Fox), a model Reaganite in the popular 80’s show Family Ties, so I would like to think of myself as a Reagan expert. Dennis Quaid’s portrayal of Reagan is almost unrecognizable from Reagan himself, nailing the mannerisms, facial expressions, and style of speaking.
Reagan began his career in politics in 1964 and was elected governor of California in 1966. In 1976, he challenged President Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination but failed to receive a higher delegate count. Reagan faced President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 election during which he gave his famous “Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago” speech. He wins the election in a landslide, receiving 489 Electoral College votes. An attempted assassination of President Reagan occurs in 1981, but he recovers and makes a couple of iconic jokes from the hospital bed.
My one criticism of this movie is that it glosses over the Iran-Contra scandal, a major scandal during Reagan’s presidency that relates to both the arms race and the holding of hostages in Lebanon. “Reagan” tells the story of The Great Communicator in a way that excludes certain historical factors, but it shines a light on the president’s victory in arms reduction and preservation of democracy. My favorite part of this movie is how it reveals the distance between the political atmosphere of the 1980s versus modern day. I think most people would agree that the movie’s inclusion of a brief clip of a debate between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan feels like a political utopia compared to recent debates. Whether you are a Reagan fan or not, I highly recommend watching this movie.
