Hatchet Job? Reagan Movie Is Run of the Mill (The Official New York Times Review!)

The New York Times ^ | November 30, 2003 | Alessandra Stanley

[Timesink]

Why am I not surprised by the tone or conclusions of this review?

[Timesink]

Schadenfreude

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[Bonaparte]

The NYT would do well to replace this "reviewer" with Jayson Blair. He's more honest.

[samtheman]

shot mostly in darkly lit interiors and small, enclosed spaces like hospital rooms, elevators and the presidential bedroom

Saving money on the sets?

Cheap is as cheap does.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...the only Red menace is Nancy Reagan's wardrobe...

Haw haw.

Hey, Ms. Dowd Lite, we've read Ann Coulter's book. We know how your paper worked 24/7 covering for Soviet spies, back then.

[martin_fierro]

TimesWatch has an interesting "Topic Index" on Stanley.

[dadokane]

"The Reagans" is reasonably accurate, at times engrossing, at other times silly and sometimes even dull. It is not a thoughtful look at a critical moment in American history. It is a domestic drama about a loving couple beset by Hollywood agents, Republican backers, scheming advisers and, most of all, their angry, needy children.

Perhaps noonan's "When Character Was King," will serve as basis for another try. Buy the book for yourself, a relative or friend -- it's worth every penny.

[anniegetyourgun]

I can see why the NYT would consider it "harmless." However, their protestations belie that position.

[xzins]

Let the revisionism begin.

[Dark Knight]

I haven't seen it and really don't intend to. But as I understand so far, they skip over "Mr. Gorbachov (sp) tear down this wall!"

This was RR's lifelong dream and everything he did culminated in the downfall of communism in his lifetime. They did not address it at all from what I understand, and certainly not as his life's work.

What a distortion!

DK

[Helms]

I am canceling my HBO-Showtime service today. Both of these are turning into cultural sub-pumps of liberal sewage. No Sopranos, just allot of too cool for school programs. Six Feet Under.

[montag813]

I saw an advance screening of this film. The economic boom is not touched upon at all. The state of the nation after the brutal Carter policies is not mentioned. Reagan is not given credit for any good decision he ever made. The producers credit Nancy, Mike Deaver, and others instead. Reagan is seen as a dumb, lazy, ignorant pawn of history, instead of his true role as epochal man of change. It is not anger-provoking, merely boring. I watched it with a liberal and even she said it was silly and dull, and an "obvious fiction".

Don't bother watching it. You will only be annoyed at your own waste of time.

[thesummerwind]

Some things never change. I am surprised the people who created this movie didn't just go over to Reagan's home and injury him physically, such as they have done emotionally with this unhappy, destructive, very inaccurate creation. It is shameful. It is not the inaccuracies that is the worst, it is the intent. Sad for the country.

[Clintonfatigued]

Clearly, CBS thought that watering down their ludicrous movie would make it even-handed. If they really wanted an even-handed film, they should have strived to tell the truth.

[Victoria Delsoul]

It hasn't been a good week for me media… GW Thanksgiving surprise to the troops and now this, LOL.

[Alberta's Child]

Bump to that. LOL.

[Victoria Delsoul]

LOL! Hi AC, good to see ya! How's your puter?

[Alberta's Child]

Good to see ya, Victoria! How was your Thanksgiving?

The 'puter is not quite OK, but it doesn't crash like it used to. I tried to install Windows 2000 yesterday, but I need to talk to the IT guy from work -- I think I'm doing something wrong.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanksgiving was great, thanks for asking.

Oh no, you doing something wrong? That's not possible.

[Alberta's Child]

Oh no, you doing something wrong? That's not possible.

LOL!!!!

I hope nobody reads your comment -- they're going to start getting all sorts of wrong ideas about me in their heads!