As a lifelong Republican with a deep admiration for Ronald Reagan, I find myself at odds with the critics’ scathing reviews of “Reagan.” Despite the film’s abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score among critics, it has managed to resonate profoundly with me and fellow conservative audiences.
Disregard the ongoing political differences between Democrats and Republicans, as the contrasting Rotten Tomatoes scores for the new Reagan biopic suggest vastly different opinions. Critics give the film a low rating of 18% on the Tomatometer, implying it may not be worth watching. However, audiences seem to enjoy the Dennis Quaid-led production, with the RT Popcornmeter showing a nearly perfect score of 98%. Unfortunately, our own critic at MovieWeb, Greg Archer, shares this negative view.
“The movie presents him as a grand, illustrious figure, portraying him as a man who rose from modest origins, broke into Hollywood, ventured into politics, and played a significant role in defeating communism during the Cold War of the 1980s – a film that one might hope to see about themselves at their funeral.”
Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times writes:
A fawning biopic light on subtlety.
Adam Nayman of The Ringer adds (below):
“It’s a delicate balance between satire and self-exaggeration, even directors with more experience than Sean McNamara have stumbled on it. Reagan appears as if he’s from an over-the-top Saturday Night Live skit or perhaps a parody biopic similar to Walk Hard.”
Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe says:
In a bid to emulate Reagan, Quaid’s portrayal is more reminiscent of the puppets featured in Genesis’ ‘Land of Confusion’ music video; the film unfortunately includes clips from this video at one stage, which doesn’t do Quaid any favors.
Similar to how polling stations work in real-life politics, the film industry uses CinemaScore to count votes from moviegoers. When exiting a theater after watching a new film, viewers are asked for their immediate thoughts. For instance, the biopic Reagan received an overwhelming “A” CinemaScore, suggesting strong approval from audiences. This sentiment is echoed in the almost perfect Popcornmeter rating that Reagan earned on Rotten Tomatoes, demonstrating broad appreciation among moviegoers.
Audiences Praise Same Film Critics Are Bashing
Despite the mixed reactions from critics and viewers towards Sean McNamara and Dennis Quaid’s joint production, “Reagan” has secured the fourth spot in box office earnings during its opening weekend over Labor Day. Projected figures suggest that the Ronald Reagan biopic will earn approximately $7.4 million (three-day) and slightly over $9 million (four-day) during its premiere. Contrary to the harsh critiques from professional writers, who seem as relentless as Negan on AMC’s “The Walking Dead”, audiences appear to be appreciating the film. One verified audience member, CE, stated (via Rotten Tomatoes):
“What a remarkable film! It skillfully and faithfully depicted one of America’s most distinguished Presidents – Ronald Reagan. The depiction of his era felt uncannily authentic. The unique perspective of viewing Reagan through the eyes of former and current Russian spies added depth to the narrative. And Dennis Quaid truly embodied the visionary spirit, strong leadership, and humor that defined President Reagan. I can’t recommend this highly enough.”
Another verified audience member, Rich, also gave the film five stars. Rich says:
“This tale follows a man guided by his religious belief, principles, and deep affection for his nation.
Toby’s five-star reaction reads as follows:
1. “Dennis Quaid delivered an outstanding performance as Reagan. As a young adult, I had the opportunity to cast my first vote for him during his presidency.
After wrapping up the summer movie season of 2024 with less-than-stellar results, anticipation is building for the upcoming Ronald Reagan biopic. Some viewers are eagerly awaiting this film as the highlight of Labor Day weekend, while others, more critical, view it as a cinematic catastrophe best avoided altogether. To make an informed decision, one should purchase a ticket, settle in, and give Quaid and McNamara’s production a chance to prove itself.
Reagan
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2024-09-03 01:12