Reagan (2024)

A retired KGB agent narrates Reagan, explaining the man to a young Russian politician, which is a bold frame for a movie that otherwise plays everything completely safe. Sean McNamara’s biopic runs 141 minutes and races from a 1920s Illinois boyhood through lifeguard shifts, radio work, Hollywood and decades of public life, so most scenes feel like summaries of scenes. Dennis Quaid plays Ronald Reagan and is the best reason to watch, finding warmth and some quiet mystery in a script more interested in highlights than in the person. Penelope Ann Miller plays Nancy, and Jon Voight’s narration ties the eras together while keeping everything at arm’s length. Slow motion and a swelling score lean hard on every big moment. Critics and audiences split wildly: it holds an 18% on Rotten Tomatoes, and moviegoers gave it an A CinemaScore. It made $30 million domestically on a reported $25M. A 4.4 because Quaid deserved a sharper, more probing script. $137.68 says you go hunting for Dennis Quaid’s older movies afterward, because he’s the part that sticks.

What works: Dennis Quaid commits fully and brings warmth to the lead, and the KGB-narrator framing is an unusual way into a familiar life story.

What doesn’t: It rushes through decades in quick summaries, and the slow motion and syrupy score push every scene too hard.

Who it’s for: Viewers who enjoy sweeping, old-fashioned biopics and want to see Dennis Quaid’s take on a famous figure.