The biopic “Reagan” has surpassed expectations at the box office since its release over Labor Day weekend. Starring Dennis Quaid, the film tells the story of former President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan, portrayed by Penelope Ann Miller. According to Box Office Mojo, “Reagan” earned over $10.3 million during its showing period from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2, ranking third behind “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Alien: Romulus.”
The film almost doubled projections that it would make about $5 million in its opening weekend, earning $7.4 million from Friday through Sunday alone. Directed by Sean McNamara and based on the book “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism,” moviegoers responded positively to “Reagan.” It received a 98 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes compared to a 22 percent critical rating.
Reviews praised the film for being inspirational, feel-good, positive, historical, real, and well-done. One reviewer mentioned that people were wiping tears from their eyes after watching it and that the theater broke into applause—an uncommon reaction in recent years.
Dennis Quaid defended his choice to depict President Reagan despite criticism before the film’s release. He emphasized that “Reagan” is not a political movie but rather a biopic and love story about America’s past.
In addition to Dennis Quaid as Ronald Reagan and Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan, Jon Voight portrays retired KGB agent Viktor Petrovich in the film while Scott Stapp plays Frank Sinatra.
This is not Quaid’s first time portraying an American president on-screen; he previously played Bill Clinton in HBO’s “The Special Relationship.” However, out of all U.S presidents, Quaid stated that Reagan was his favorite.
“Reagan” is currently playing in theaters nationwide.