The True Story of Reagan and What Dennis Quaid’s Film Leaves Out

The 2024 film, Reagantells the life story of Hollywood actor and President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, but the film fails to capture the man’s entire life in just over two hours. Reagan premiered in August 2024 and received record reactions. from Reagan Rotten Tomatoes scores are notably divisive, with a critic score of 18% and an audience score of an impressive 98%. This is the biggest gap between scores in Rotten Tomatoes history. While it’s difficult to tease out why exactly these scores are so different, one reason could be how Reagan It portrays the very full life of its protagonist.

When it comes to films about historical figures, it can be difficult to strike a balance between authenticity and entertainment. The biggest obstacle is time. If a director wants to squeeze someone’s entire life into a two-hour film, some cuts are inevitable. Unfortunately, some of these cuts can have a negative impact on the film as a whole. Reagan It’s far from the first biopic to explore the life of a famous person, but it makes some interesting choices about what it chooses to focus on and how it does so.

Reagan follows the life of Ronald Reagan as an actor and as president

How Reagan’s plot hurt/helped the film

Reagan Follows the life of Ronald Reagan from his childhood in Illinois until his eventual death in 2004. The film shows how Reagan’s childhood often revolved around religion, especially in the face of his father’s alcoholism. Later, the audience sees Reagan begin his career in Hollywood, which is what first put him in the public eye. As Reagan’s acting career came to an end, the film delves into his political aspirations, leading up to his election as the 40th president of the United States. The film ends with the end of Reagan’s presidency and his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

Once again, it’s a pretty ambitious effort to present a man’s entire life in a single film, but Reagan makes a solid attempt. Arguably, its plot helped the film and also hurt it. from Reagan The generation-spanning storyline likely allowed audiences to get a complete picture of Reagan, not just as president, but as a man. He probably felt more relatable because of his origins and desires outside of politics. On the other hand, from Reagan The sheer plot likely meant the film could only delve so deeply into certain topics that perhaps deserved more exploration.

Timeline of Reagan’s true story and all major events covered

What Reagan’s events say about the president

Although Reagan is not able to show all elements of Reagan’s lifeThere are definitely milestones that stand out. For example, the film covers Reagan’s acting career, his position as president of the Screen Actor’s Guild, and his marriage to Jane Wyman. From there, the film transitions to Reagan’s time as governor and his “A Time for Choose” speech. Before and during his presidency, the film also covers moments such as Reagan’s clashes with student protesters in California, Reagan’s assassination attempt and his meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev.

It can be argued that the events Reagan chooses to focus on saying a lot about the film’s overarching message. On the one hand, the film appears to shed remarkable light on Reagan’s speeches, including “A Time for Choose,” his speech after the Iran-Contra scandal, and his famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate. Perhaps Reagan wants the public to focus on the former president’s ability to inspire crowdseven in difficult or controversial scenarios. However, beyond that, the film seeks to show Reagan in more than just political situations, highlighting his religious inclinations and ambitions.

What Reagan Leaves Out About the True Story of Ronald Reagan

How Reagan’s Storyline Makes Him Controversial

As much as Reagan Attempting to tie the president’s life into an elegant bow is no easy task, and the film often leaves out details that might seem imperative to certain viewers. For example, many critics argue that Reagan minimizes the most negative opinions of the former president. In an article by Slate, It is pointed out that although Reagan is considered a friend of BIPOC characters, in reality, he was against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Furthermore, Reagan’s handling of the AIDS crisis and the war on drugs is apparently covered up .

Ultimately, what Reagan What it does and doesn’t say about Ronald Reagan is what makes the film so successful, yet so controversial. While some audiences clearly feel that the film portrays an inspiring and heartfelt story about an important president, others feel that the film is false about the truth of Reagan’s policies and failures. Anyway, Reagan stands out for its unique ratings and the way it divided viewers so intensely.

Source: Slate