Reagan

 

         What a great love story between Ron and Nancy Reagan and what a great love story for all Republicans. And released close to Election Day, coincidence? Although in fairness, it does instill a bit of patriotic pride, the way President Reagan stood up to the Soviet Union.

          Dennis Quaid does a fairly good impression of President Reagan but it's Penelope Ann Miller who steals the film as Nancy Reagan. She is spot on and the chemistry between the two is wonderful. They do a great job conveying the love "Ronnie" and Nancy Pants"  had for each other.

           The film is framed by a Russian "spy" narrator, played by Jon Voight explaining to an unnamed Russian official how Ronald Reagan came to power. He claims to have studied everything about Reagan going back to when he was a boy, which we then see as the story unfold in flashbacks.

            Co-starring are C. Thomas Howell, Kevin Dillion, Mena Suvari, Lesley -Anne Down, Alesksander Krupa, Robert Davi, Xander Berkeley, and Dan Lauria among others.

            The film covers a lot of ground but many significant events are glossed over as the writer, Howard Klausner's main focus is on communism and how President Reagan was instrumental in the fall of the Soviet Union. His screenplay is based on the book, "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism" by Paul Kengor so it makes sense that the screenplay is heavy on the subject. Of course little mention of the Iran-Contra scandal, the invasion of Grenada, the bombing of Libya, his lack of response to the AIDS epidemic, and “Reaganomics” while focusing on primary standing up to the Russians paints an unequal weight on his legacy. 

             No president has ever been perfect but Ronald Reagan's legacy will stand the test of time. The film is entertaining and provides some insight into the man. But if you are more interested in a complete picture (and not just all this flag waving), hit the history books.