While exceeding all viewing and monetary expectations, Dennis Quaid’s Reagan continues to outperform all competitors.
When I learned that moviegoers gave the film an “A” CinemaScore and a 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes – in sharp contrast to its critics’ score, which stood at 18 percent the last time I checked – I knew immediately that I wanted to see the movie. That 80 percent difference chasm makes it the film with the greatest gap between critics and fans in Hollywood theatrical films’ history, surpassing the record of 65 percent held by The Boondock Saints.
Dennis Quaid is known for playing iconic characters such as Doc Holliday in Wyatt Earp, Jimmy Morris in The Rookie, and Jerry Lee Lewis in Great Balls of Fire to name a few. But playing Ronald Reagan is at the top of his list and may just be the pinnacle character of his storied career.
“The biggest challenge playing Reagan was to not do an impersonation of him,” Quaid told me.
“We all know what Reagan looked like and what he sounded like. Having played quite a few real people, I like to play them from their point of view, without judgment. I challenged myself to get underneath what he must have been feeling because he’s human and then I broke it down that way.”
Ronald Reagan was president when I was a young adult and the first president I voted for when I turned 18. He has always been a favorite of conservatives and event some liberals, too.
Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, Reagan follows the former president from his dusty small-town roots to the glitter of Hollywood and then on to command the world stage.
My husband, who is a history buff, stated, “Reagan was the first president to play poker with the Russians and not blink.”
Because of my firsthand knowledge of Ronald Reagan’s presidency, I was even more impressed by Dennis Quaid’s stellar performance as the 40th president. And while I knew Ronald Reagan was an actor before he was governor of California and then president, I didn’t know how he got from Hollywood to Washington, DC.
Reagan is told through the voice of a composite character, Viktor Petrovich, played by Jon Voight. Petrovich is a former KGB agent whose life becomes inextricably linked with Ronald Reagan’s when he first catches the Soviets’ attention as an actor in Hollywood dealing with the Communist Party that was rampant at the time.
I found this perspective odd, but Voight convincingly portrays the character to make you believe he is real. This is where Hollywood embellishes real history.
Nevertheless, Reagan 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.
Penelope Ann Miller lovingly portrays Nancy Reagan and if the screenwriting is accurate, you see what a pivotal role Nancy had in Ronald Reagan becoming our 40th president.
In my opinion, Quaid’s portrayal of Ronald Reagan was spot on, especially as the president aged. Having dealt with my own father’s demise from Alzheimer’s, Quaid’s performance as the president as he was living with this cruel disease was gripping. Merely from the ending alone, Quaid deserves an Oscar nod.
However, my absolute favorite scene in the movie is where Democratic Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill (portrayed perfectly by Dan Lauria), visits Ronald Reagan in the hospital after he was shot. Their spirited interaction followed by the recitation of the 23rd Psalm was a great reminder that people can have opposing views and still get along and even be friends.
Bottom line: I think that those who are old enough should see the movie, Reagan.
Despite the creative license of the screenwriters, overall, it is a great history lesson for all who see it. Most importantly, it reminds us that civility in politics is possible.
Find tickets and showtimes to “Reagan” here.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
