Reagan: The Movie
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.
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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
