KSL Movie Show review: ‘Reagan’ is a mixed bag biopic
Aug 30, 2024, 7:00 AM
"Reagan" is a biopic based on Paul Kengor’s 2006 book “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism."
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SALT LAKE CITY — Back in 2020, CBS took a beating for its apparent weak sauce portrayal of Ronald Reagan in a miniseries. So much so, that the Tiffany Network eventually only played it on Showtime.
Outraged and vowing to give “the Gipper” a better biopic, producer Mark Joseph, screenwriter Howard Klausner and director Sean McNamara teamed up to take Paul Kengor’s 2006 book “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism” and adapt it for the big screen.
The result is a surface-y “greatest hits” of Mr. Reagan’s life, along with a heavy dose of Soviet spying on what they considered to be an up-and-coming dangerous political figure on the American landscape years before he would appear on the national stage.
In other words, the Soviets knew he would be a problem, way before the American public took notice of his potential — sort of a backhanded compliment.
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And though you might be confused by the early and continual intense discussions between a former KGB agent, played by Jon Voight, and some new face in Moscow politics, it sets up the narrative background that chronicles the almost-jealous watchful Soviet eye keeping tabs on this handsome, troublesome cowboy/actor.
So who do they get to play the incomparable Ronald Reagan in his grownup years? How about Dennis Quaid?
No, seriously, that’s who they chose.
Now don’t get me wrong, I like Dennis Quaid. I think he’s a fine actor, but playing “Dutch” Reagan felt like a stretch too far. For half of the movie, all I could see was Dennis Quaid pretending to be Ronald Reagan.
It was only in that second hour —and possibly because I’d been beaten into submission— that I began to accept him as the 40th president of the United States and even then I was shaking my head.
Other casting choices that actually made me chuckle were: Kevin Dillon, Matt’s brother and Johnny Drama of “Entourage” playing studio mogul Jack Warner (ala Warner Bros.), Robert Davi, the opera-singing Fratelli brother from “Goonies” playing General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party Leonid Brezhnev and my personal favorite, singer Pat Boone playing a crusty old preacher, Reverend George Otis, in the same scene with a guy playing a younger Pat Boone.
Classic stuff.
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Eventually, once they circled back to the assassination attempt in 1981 where he famously said to the surgeons “I hope you’re all Republican,” a sweetness between him and Nancy began to settle in over the storyline.
It felt like they had finally reached their stride and were getting more into the behind-the-scenes moments and less of the previous nuts and bolts biographical bits.
Bottom line? This is a mixed bag of heavy-handed rah-rah dialog and some genuinely touching moments.
Frankly, it’s better than “The Reagans” miniseries, but it’s still a far cry from a “Lincoln” or a “Patton.”
“Reagan” (C+) Rated PG-13 for violent content and smoking. Starring Dennis Quaid, Penelope Ann Miller, Jon Voight, Mena Suvari and Ole Krupa. Directed by Sean McNamara (“On a Wing and a Prayer” “Soul Surfer”) – filmed in Oklahoma. Running time: 135 minutes.
