Reviewing “Reagan” wasn’t your standard assignment.
WWTW is chock full of film critiques, and I try to keep them aimed at mainstream audiences with an occasional nod to the red states.
But when I review a film for a conservative site like PajamasMedia.com I take extra care to address its audience. If a liberal outlet like The Huffington Post ever asked me to review a film I’d consider its crowd, too.
Whaddaya say, AOL?
Which returns us to “Reagan,” a documentary from liberal director Eugene Jarecki (“Why We Fight”). Would Jarecki’s film, one which made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival last month, treat President Ronald Reagan fairly? That’s the biggest question I faced before watching the movie, which airs at 9 p.m. EST tonight (Feb. 7) on HBO.
But other questions nagged at me, too.
Could I be fair to the film even while pointing out any possible biases? Would it entertain me even if I disagreed with some of its statements? And how would I process the critiques leveled against a politician I admired, and one whose very name is a rallying cry for conservatives everywhere?
“Reagan” initially defied my expectations and, later, sadly met met them with alacrity. The PajamasMedia.com review tells the rest.
What equally intrigued me was how the press dealt with the film.
Most news outlets WWTW read, like this CBS account, describe the film as “even handed, ” an obvious fallacy given the wealth of Reagan detractors assembled to pummel the president’s legacy. That says more about the biases of mainstream reporters than anything else.
The LA Times didn’t bother to highlight the documentary’s liberal tilt, either, and pretends that the subject’s progressive progeny, Ron Reagan, Jr., is a neutral arbiter of his pappy’s political legacy.
Give The Onion some credit. The critic gently reveals his own biases toward the subject and fairly details how the film piles on Reagan detractors.
“Reagan” could have been the chance to prove a Hollywood product could give a conservative icon a fair shake – and earn back some of the trust of right-of-center audiences. Instead, it’s more of the same, and another example of how consumers should be wary of the biases in their allegedly neutral news content.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for this. I will NEVER watch this film. I do not need more brainwashing attempts from leftists if I can avoid them.
Like Mike B, put me in the “never watch” category. I fortunately lived through the glorious Reagan era and even though the years since have enabled me to be more objective, there’s no denying just how fortunate this country was to have Reagan. Certainly don’t need some (misguided) agenda-driven revisionists attempting to take credit for/demean his accomplishments and/or message.
And we have Meryl Streep’s performance as Maggie Thatcher to look forward to!
This is another example of the mind set in Hollywood that I rail about over at Film School Rejects. I bet if I bring this up they will dismiss it as simply a television project and nothing more.
You can enjoy “Reagan” – it’s relatively well crafted. You can agree with its slant – if you disagree with Reagan’s two terms in office.
You can’t fairly call it unbiased. That’s where I’m trying to draw the line.
To say that you won’t watch it because of a bias indicates a fear of anything that may leave your mind open to change. Live your life as a frozen rock on a planet without life and continue to drink the Kool aid that the Fox Propaganda channel feeds you. Be a good Nazi.
Wm – does that mean you watch Fox News from time to time to see what the conservative media has to say?
And do be careful playing the “Nazi” card … makes you sound a bit like a frozen rock unwilling to accept that not all news fits into your comfort zone.
Yes I do watch it from time to time. Mostly O’Reilly. Maybe the Nazi card is harsh. Just trying to make a point. And I agree with your previous post.
O’Reilly has been more and more difficult for me to watch as he’s believed his own press over the last 10 years. Try watching Red Eye instead, Wm. Much more representative of the next generation of conservatives, and a helluva lot more entertaining.
Thanks Eric I’ll check it out.