Posted on 08/22/2024 10:20:37 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The producers didn't plan for the biopic about the life of Ronald Reagan to open so close to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, but delays caused by the pandemic and an actors strike led to its release on August 30.
It seems easier to portray a historical figure that no one currently living remembers. In the case of "Reagan," the challenge would appear especially challenging.
Actor Dennis Quaid, who plays Reagan, is more than up to that challenge.
Quaid avoids what could have easily been a temptation to portray Reagan as a caricature. Though he resembles the 40th president with the help of hair enhancement and makeup, Quaid's performance does not distract from memories of those who lived through his presidency.
The film opens with real news footage of Reagan being shot as he left the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, 1981. It includes his now famous line to Nancy Reagan, (played convincingly by Penelope Ann Miller): "Honey, I forgot to duck," along with his quip to surgeons at George Washington University Hospital, "I hope you are all Republicans." Those two comments endeared him even to many of his political opponents, including Speaker Tip O'Neill who is portrayed (by Dan Lauria), visiting Reagan in the hospital and elsewhere agreeing to cease talking politics at 6 p.m. when he and Reagan would discuss how to resolve their differences over drinks at the White House.
While recalling his childhood, his early acting career, and Screen Actors Guild presidency during the blacklisting of Hollywood actors, writers and others alleged to be communist sympathizers, or members of the party, a good portion of the film centers on Reagan's efforts to reduce the nuclear arsenals of the Soviet Union and United States. He responded to criticism for not meeting with a succession of Soviet leaders, saying "I would but they keep dying." Eventually he meets with the reformist Michael Gorbachev, played by Olek Krupa, who bears little resemblance to the man he portrays (save for the birthmark on his head), but who sticks to the historical "script."
Reagan's insistence on pursuing his Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars" to his critics) is rightly credited with contributing to the fall of the Soviet Union during the administration of his successor, George H.W. Bush.
The film gets Reagan's toughness and convictions right, but it also displays something absent from so much of today's politics. They include his sense of humor (YouTube has a collection of some of his better jokes) and the fact that he treated even his adversaries with respect. One line that isn't in the film but is an accurate depiction of his way of criticizing the beliefs of opponents without calling them names: "The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
Unlike Meryl Streep's portrayal of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," (it opens with her dementia while the Reagan film ends with his in a moving way that ought to bring tears to the eyes - it did to mine), "Reagan" is more of a love note to a man who did great things for his country and the world. There could be no better epitaph for any political leader.
If you are under 40, go see it and learn something beyond what biased historians and the media have said about the man. If you are over 40 and lived through his presidency, go see it and be reminded of what real leadership looks like and how one man, in collaboration with a British prime minister and a pope, helped bring freedom to millions in Eastern Europe and restored the faith of many Americans in their country.
I was hoping this film would be fair and historically true to the man. Based on this review, I am looking forward to it. (Reagan 80’ was my first presidential vote)
Reagan and Trump are the only two Presidents I’ve voted for. All other elections I voted against a candidate.
(Reagan 80’ was my first presidential vote)
Reagan ‘84 was my first.
Reagan was the last of the presidents with class. Unfortunately, his political opponents had little to none - the ‘mutual respect’ commented about with Tip O’Neil was only one-sided. Tip rolled him whenever he could.
Now we've got commies running our government. Damn.
I remember Reagan ‘80 on my grandfather’s station wagon. Reagan shaped my political core to this day. Unfortunately, I was too young to vote in the Reagan years and my first was Bush via absentee ballot in Germany. The day he spewed the “new world order” garbage I knew that the Reagan legacy door was shut tight. The rest is history (or the slow decline of peak America). I am still long on the Republic for which we stand but this election will reveal what road America will go.
BTTT
The Pope, Reagan, Gorbachev and Maggie Thatcher to a lesser extend all directly contributed to my wife and I being able to adopt a baby girl in Romania in 1991. Now she is 33 with twin boys and a husband we love. God bless everyone who helped make that happen.
Me too.
I don’t like Meryl Streep. I abhor Bette Midler, and those on the View, etc.
But, I’ll end up seeing this for Quaid’s portrayal.
Ah yes, "Liberals, sound like Tarzan, look like Jane and smell like Cheetah".
But of course that is not "calling them names".
It is cute the way Cal seems to have have wiped entire years of Reagan from his memory.
Mt first presidential vote was 80 for Reagan.
Looking forward to the movie.
My husband was a democrat for most of his life; has been a Republican for the last 17 years. He never appreciated Reagan during his democrat years, but now does. We are both looking forward to seeing this movie. I am looking forward to seeing Ronnie, among other historical Christians, when I get to Heaven.
If you ever get to CA visit his library.
I saw it opening day. Absolutely loved it, will readily go see it a second time. The production value was, happily, very good. Interesting approach using KGB agent’s recollections and news reports, works very well. His early battles with the Hollywood subversives was nicely portrayed. All the acting was very good to excellent, Quaid was spot on. Really appreciated the senior staff portrayals (the brief David Stockman portrayal made me laugh). The end credit’s original photos of the RR scenes as portrayed throughout the film were a nice inclusion.
I was 27 when my political conservatism had fully evolved (from a skull full of mush) and I voted for RR. Some will say the film is hagiography and I might tend to agree, but I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end and RR will always be one of the two best presidents in my lifetime.
One qualm, Brezhnev’s eyebrows, while bushy, weren’t bushy enough!
Very good movie Jon Voight and Dennis Quaid were great!
Nixon-Agnew was my first.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.