Back to the brink

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MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Friday, August 14th.

Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Mary Reichard.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: a new historical political drama about Ronald Reagan hits theaters this weekend. It’s called The Brink of War.

Film critic Joseph Holmes now with his thoughts.

JOSEPH HOLMES: I think it’s fair to say that Hollywood tends to have a double standard when it comes to depicting modern U.S. presidents. Democratic presidents like JFK and FDR tend to get to play bipartisan American heroes. Republican presidents, on the other hand, are overwhelmingly villains or jokes—like in Frost/Nixon or Vice. But independent studios have started to change that, with movies like 2024’s Reagan starring Dennis Quaid and now The Brink of War by Angel Studios, starring Jeff Daniels.

SHULTZ: President Reagan, you got us here, Sir. You got the Russians to the table. Gorbachev came to play. But if we fail here, there will be war.

In this film, it’s 1986 and the United States and the Soviet Union are in the midst of a Cold War, with thousands of nuclear missiles aimed at each other. President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev meet in Iceland in a last-ditch effort to stave off nuclear armageddon. But as pressure mounts and distrust threatens to undermine their peace talks, both leaders have to decide how far they’re willing to go to prevent the end of the world.

SHULTZ: I never thought I’d see the controls for 70 thousand nuclear weapons in the same room.

REAGAN: Here we are, the two of us, deciding whether there will be peace, or war, in the world.

There’s a lot to like about The Brink of War. It’s an old-school political drama with snappy, intellectual dialogue and great performances by veteran actors like JK Simmons, Jared Harris, and—of course—Jeff Daniels as Reagan. The isolated location and minimalist, sometimes documentary-esque aesthetic give a claustrophobic and tense atmosphere to what is essentially a two-hour verbal spar. The characters feel fleshed out, and the dialogue balances exposition, banter, and conflict without losing sight of the larger themes. Harris as Gorbachev sells both formidability and vulnerability rather than leaning on evil Russian stereotypes. Daniels effortlessly juggles a disarming likeability, stately stubbornness, and a tortured moral core. The Dennis Quaid film tried to capture all of Reagan’s life and legacy and therefore spread itself too thin. But The Brink of War felt like it touched on everything that made Reagan such an icon–for fans and foes alike–while zooming in on one climactic moment of his presidency.

GORBACHEV: You see, Mr. President, you’re not the only one with public opinion problems. We both must answer to the people.

REAGAN: Yes, but my people–if they criticize me publicly don’t get sent to the Gulag.

GORBACHEV: True. And my people can’t shoot me.

It’s also frankly refreshing how well the filmmakers break down the American and Soviet ideologies and aren’t ashamed to root for the American one. Often modern Hollywood depictions of the Cold War gloss over the different worldviews or morally equivocate the two. But The Brink of War really puts the viewer inside the head of those who opposed the Soviet Union and shows that they did so in favor of the faith, family, and freedom traditions in America. It’s cathartic for those who are annoyed at how those American values are often given to Hollywood villains.

GORBACHEV: How do you expect my people to trust you?

REAGAN: The United States will remain strong. We can strike you first with impunity.

GORBACHEV: We will strike as well.

The film isn’t perfect. The dialogue does sometimes slide into sermonizing. The fact that the American characters seem to come out on top of nearly every interaction sucks some of the tension out of the story and makes the film feel more like propaganda than drama. And the final twist ending revealing Reagan’s true plan feels rushed and emotionally unearned.

GORBACHEV: We are a strong people. And we have learned that strength is how you win a war.

REAGAN: We’re not trying to win a war. We’re trying to end one.

In the end, The Brink of War is a solid old-fashioned political drama that represents people and ideas that don’t always get this cinematic treatment. With a couple more drafts, it might have been something more. But for fans of the people and events depicted, it’s a meeting they likely won’t want to miss.

I’m Joseph Holmes.

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