Julia Kane ‘27
Staff Writer
Between his adoration for jellybeans, nearly 30 years of acting, and strong Republican values, Ronald Reagan was a president who remains a household name, even 35 years after his time in office. Much of America regards this controversial figure as either an idol or an enemy, similar to a certain incumbent running for President this fall. Although I am not Reagan’s biggest fan, I figured the latest biopic about his life would be captivating and shed some light on Reagan’s accomplishments and failures. However, I left the theater reminiscing on my lost time and money.
It truly began setting in that this biopic would be a colossal failure as the guitar intro of Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” echoed through the theater, Dennis Quiad as Reagan called “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Robotic and soulless, Quaid portrays Reagan as a stagnant character which, I can imagine, is very different from Reagan’s actual demeanor. The primary focus of the film is on Reagan’s strong sense of anticommunism and how he aided in ending the Cold War. Although Reagan did negotiate with and put pressure on the Soviet Union, the Cold War was not finished by one singular person, but rather by structural failures of the USSR and many other Presidents contributing to the cause.
Reagan’s abysmal management of the AIDS epidemic, or lack thereof, was glazed over entirely, only being mentioned briefly in a 20-second clip of anti-Reagan protests. Approximately 90,000 people died of AIDS or related causes during his administration (Lit Hub), while Reagan failed to act until 1987, despite knowing that the disease had already been ravaging the US for years. That scene in the film may have been one of the only times that anything remotely negative about Reagan was depicted. Director Sean McNamara spends two hours and fifteen minutes showing movie-goers an exaggerated highlight-reel of Reagan’s life and career, making him seem like an American hero who could do no wrong.
McNamara also makes a point to show Reagan playing high-school football, generously extending a place to stay to his black teammates who were being discriminated against within this sport. Despite attempting to paint Reagan as an anti-racist pioneer, Reagan opposed the extension of the Voting Rights Act, vetoed the Civil Rights Restoration Act, and got rid of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (The Nation) as President. Reagan once again portrays Reagan as a man of flawless character that does not align with his true actions while in office.Reagan showed me plenty of montages of Quaid as Reagan riding horses, helping people as a lifeguard in his youth, and loving his wife Nancy in a manner that was so sugarcoated, it was almost painful. While I’m sure Reagan had a few good qualities, this film is a misleading retelling of Reagan’s true self and actions while in office that would only appease his loyal followers.
Featured Image Courtesy of Obama White House Archives
Copy Edited by Ella Woei ’26
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