Amazon.com

A soapy backstage melodrama originally produced for network broadcast, Double Platinum downplays show biz verisimilitude to turn on the tears. With '60s soul queen Diana Ross and '90s pop princess Brandy sharing production credit as well as billing, this formulaic tearjerker focuses on its stars' dramatic chops more than their musical prowess, a choice that won't deter their respective audiences, even as it disappoints less partisan music fans who might have hoped for a stronger musical component.

Olivia King (Ross) is the former St. Louis housewife who abandoned her family for pop stardom, only to return 18 years later determined to meet, and reconcile with, her daughter, Kayla (Brandy), now nurturing her own footlight fantasies.But when the prodigal mom finally does reveal herself to the bright, feisty teen, Kayla is outraged and then hard-boiled. Olivia's offer to help the undeniably talented girl make industry contacts is accepted, with the bitter caveat that the superstar should abandon any hopes of a true maternal bond with her embittered daughter. The usually imperious Olivia meekly accepts those terms, while the secretly yearning Kayla keeps up her tough-cookie cover, but the plot telegraphs its ultimate destination, even as the tears flow.

Both stars acquit themselves well in the story's stormier clashes, and the emotional tug of the story is well engineered to soak hankies.Less credulous viewers will be hampered by the original songs--when Ross steps on-stage, her regal demeanor and flashy (if occasionally silly) gowns support her supposed status as a legend, but the utterly forgettable, generic songs she mouths deflate that image. That said, viewers less interested in the actual music than the glitzy idea of the two characters may well be content to wallow in the waterworks of a story that could as easily have been titled Divas: The Next Generation. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Double whammy!
Being perhaps the ultimate Diana Ross fan I will admit i was strongly biased towards liking this movie. And I did. But on second and third viewings I found myself enjoying it just as much as I had the first time. Diana Ross is well, Diana Ross here, but she's also an acting talent to be reckoned with. She makes Olivia King an all-too-human, dimensional character pushing all the right emotional buttons. Her scenes with Brandy have a real emotional tension to them. Definitely makes one wonder why she hasn't had more of an acting career. She really is good here, objectively speaking.
I will admit to not being much of a Brandy fan before the film, and while I'm still not president of her fan club she won a lot of points with me here. She's a surprisingly good actress who holds her own with the formidable Diana.
And let's not forget the music. First rate all the way. Both dramatically and musically Diana and Brandy have done themselves proud in this outing. I recommend this movie wholeheartedly.

Diana Ross' return to acting
Despite Soul music legend Diana Ross remaining the most successful female recording artist of all time (a total of eighteen U.S No. 1 hit titles to her credit) her movie career has not quite hit the heights of success it has often deserved though received an oscar nomination for her dynamic and powerful performance as Jazz/Blues legend Billie Holiday in Lady Sings The Blues (1972). Since then shes appeared in the moderatley successful Mahogany (1975), The Wiz (1978) which was a commercial failure and deservedly won wide praise for her harrowing performance as a paranoid schitznophrenic in the acclaimed T.V movie, Out Of Darkness (1993). In Double Palatinum she starred alongside Teen R&B sensation Brandy. The story goes that Olivia (Diana Ross - the character is a mere imitation of the Ross mystique and legendary status) is a struggling lounge singer at a downtown nightclub who abandons her daughter Kayla (Brandy) to pursue her showbiz dreams. Flash foward 18 years later and Olivia is now a massive star to whom Kayla - who is still ignorant of her orgins and is embarking on her own singing career - goes to for advice. When Kayla finds out that Olivia is infact her mother she agrees to let Olivia introduce her to some useful contacts in the business and makes it clear that its purley to further hrown career and not to form a mother-daughter bond as Olivia hopes. Whilst being a predicatable story and the scripts certainly run through a fair few cliches, the film is saved by the dramatic and convincing performance of Diana Ross. Her heart is clearly in the role and she carries the film convincingly proving that she hadn't lost any of that dramatic acting power and dazzling on-screen presence that made Lady Sings The Blues such a success. Brandy also puts in a likeable performance and the two stars enjoy a number of dramtically moving scenes. A tear-jerking movie that has a predictable but lovely ending. Diana Ross and Brandy perform many songs off their current studio albums of the time and Diana Ross' performs the exciting He Lives In You with style and verve, backed by an effective South African orchestra and gospel-influenced backing singers. She also proves shes still a dynamic diva as she performs the rip-roaring dance number, Carry On during the awards ceremony sequences. Both Diana and Brandy perform a touching, sparkling ballad at the climax of the movie, Love Is All That Matters which closes the movie beautifully. This T.V movie often careers along like a soap opera and whilst you could argue that this is purley an old-fashioned tale thats been done countless times before, its such a joy to see Diana Ross back on the screen who makes the most of her role, biting into it with a venegance and displaying a raw, instinctive performance, proving her undoubted wide range of abilities. Fans of these two singers will most certainly be enthralled by both the film and its accompanying soundtrack. Defintley worth a look.

Gret Movie Except For One Thing!
It is in full-screen. I hate full screen. The edges are always cut off (that makes the dvd incomplete). The only time I can stand full-screen dvd is if it is a tv show, music video (which some are widescreen) or a cartoon. The only time I'll buy a movie in full-screen (such as this one) is if that is the only format it comes in and I really want it! This is a great movie. Brandy and Diana Ross go Hand-In-Hand. They make a great combination. This is a must own for any Brandy or Diana Ross fan!

...
.... there is one funny line in the thing when that little twit brandy and miss ross are eating together at some restuarant and brandy says does it bother you when other people stare? ross says im used to it it only bothers me when im tired. ha ha ha. ... the plot is so ... to and the twists are so predictable. ...

An Okay Movie!
This was not the movie of the year, not bad but not good, it was okay. The story is du "Dejas-vu", very cliché. The acting performance of Diana Ross was good, it seem real, more then the one of Brandy but Brandy was not so bad. Their performance as a singner were both great, good music in this movie. If you are a fan of Diana Ross or Brandy you may love the movie, for others it's just a nice simple movie. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent, suspenseful movie! Rob Lowe's best performance!
I don't want to give away many details (like other reviewer) because it is best just to watch as the unfortunate but mesmerizing story unfolds. I happened to catch this movie on TV and got totally caught up in the story. I felt such pity for Rob Lowe and his wife! They were not all together likeable but certainly didn't deserve the unrelenting treatment dished out by the three teenagers- pure antagonists. At first, I thought, these guys are too cruel to be believed, especially for youngsters, but then I remembered that when I went to a private school in the 8th grade for the first time (similar to the background I imagined for these pampered boys), there were individual who were unmerciful to anyone who didn't fit into the narrow perception of what "they" considered "cool." I was particularly vulnerable for abuse being the "new kid, " but I was not ignored and left to go my own quiet way as I wished; instead, I was constantly singled out and picked on. The events in the movie escalate to something I never experienced (whew!), but the story is done in such a compelling and frighteningly realistic manner, I really felt deep hatred for the boys causing the trouble and wished for mercy or at least justice for the victimized couple. Well worth watching!

This Is A Keeper! You Will Not Be Disappointed!
This movie is awesome! It stars Rob Lowe and Jennifer Grey, who are a young married couple about to have a child. Without giving the plot away, they become the target of theft, harassment and home invasion. The bad guys in this movie got my blood boiling, because I just wanted to see them get what they had coming to them. They are so cruel. However...this is not a movie about chopping off heads and blood baths. This is about a couple who fall victim, need help, try to get help, and can only hope that they will get justice. Some movies are so predictable that you just know how they will end. This one has you guessing all the way through and you just are not sure if the good guy's will end up 'on top'. All I will say to that is...Guess you'll have to watch to find out! Check it out! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Senstive Portrayal
'Baby' is about the Malone's, a family that lives in a quiet town north of Boston.
John (Keith Carradine) and his wife Lily (Farah Fawcett) live with their pretty and intelligent daughter; Larkin (Alison Pill) and John's mother Byrd (Jean Stapleton).

One day a, baby, named Sophie, is left on their doorstep, with a note by her mother explaining that she will collect the baby when she is able to do so.
The baby is taken to the heart of the family, with some reluctance by John, who is unsure of what the consequences will be, but who learns to love the baby like the rest of the family.
My favourite character in the film was Larkin, through whose eyes we can much understanding of the problems faced by the family, and who is the sparkling star of this human drama.
It is the sensitive child, Larkin, who reminds us that '"Everything has a name and a place. Even stars."-- ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Judy Garland's Story is riveting and emotional.
Being a die-hard Judy Garland Fan. I couldn't wait for this film to come out. I have the video and DVD> The DVD has 10 minutes cut from the film where the VHS is complete. I feel this movie should be seen by everyone. The performances by Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis are knockout performances. When you watch the film you really fall into Judy's world and Life. You feel her pain and her joys. her broken hearts and her love. One of the really great things about this film is that her real singing voice was used, both Tammy and Judy lip synced to the classic recordings. I love how authentic the costumes were they are exactly like they did in the original films. The most heart renching scene is where Judy is in her Dressing room with her husband vincente Minnelli right before they film "The Trolley Song" and she's in tears saying "I Can't Be Judy Garland Today" and another really great moment is when CBS Chews her out and she stood up for herself and her TV show.
I knew she loved her children but it this film It really came across and you knew that Liza Minnelli and Lorna Luft were her world. They ment everything to her. It will bring tears to your eyes.

It's a really powerful film about one of the greatest Singers in the world andI recommend this film to Oz Fans/Judy fans or fans of great entertainment!!! A Dynamite, powerhouse performance! Winner of 5 Emmies awards.
Kimberly

A one-sided treatment, but...
This is a pretty favorable treatment of the life of Judy Garland, at least from the standpoint of the role daughter Lorna Luft played in the context of growing up with a mother who became a legend in her own time. Lorna does, after all, narrate this thing, and as a result, you get the feeling that this is going to place herself and her father, Sid Luft, in the best possible light.

What makes this video worthwhile -- enough worth owning -- is that, flaws and all, it is still by far the BEST overall bio-pic available about Judy Garland. The firestorm of moods is all on display here, particularly with Judy Davis' spectacular (with a capital "S") performance covering Judy's post-adolescent years.

The music is incredible, the lip-synching is flawless and the re-creations are bulletproof to criticism. My aggravations associated with the near invisibility of daughter Liza Minnelli in her mother's life (she did tour with her didn't she? Sang with her, didn't she? But there's very little evidence of it here other than the notion that Liza was more career-focused and by implication, more selfish, compared to beloved daughter Lorna) -- were far outweighed by the sheer hypnotic delivery of the songs by both Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis.

No one had a voice like Judy's, a true original, and thankfully for fans and non-fans alike, there's enough here that is jammed-packed great to make you overlook the "transitions" that act as bridges between songs. Certainly, you get the impression that Lorna's father, Sid Luft, was Judy's true love. Whether it was or not, this is Lorna's view, and the magnificent actor Victor Garber certainly makes a dashing and strong case on her behalf playing Mr. Luft.

Without Lorna's participation, this production would not have come to be and certainly the use of Judy's own voice could not be replicated by any other actress, living or dead. Judy Davis' performance is hands down riveting and wonderful.

And I don't want to overlook Tammy Blanchard, who plays "young Judy" to perfection. The Wizard of Oz sequences with "Over the Rainbow" literally have you, sorry, here comes the obvious, "over the moon," in their seeming authenticity. The magic of these early sequences are so precious that I must admit that when Judy Davis comes into the movie, the effect was jarring for several minutes, so unlike in appearance she is to Judy G. until the story reaches into Garland's "later years."

In sum, don't worry about the one-sided treatment and be satisfied about being transfixed listening to a voice for the ages. Never dull or boring, equal parts unsentimental and sentimental, "Me and My Shadows" stands as the best epic thus far about the life of Judy Garland. I'm sure Liza would have differed with many of the story elements presented, but there's no doubt she would NOT have quarreled with how "mama" is portrayed.

Awesome
I loved this movie, but I was one of the few who wasn't a huge fan of Tammy Blanchard. I thought there were times during the movie that she was more a charicature of Judy instead of portraying a real living person. She wasn't bad at all, I just think she is over-rated. She does have some very good moments though such as when she finds out her father had died and the scene with Lana Turner.

True Judy Davis looks less like Garland than Tammy, but I think she seemed much more "Judy-Like". From what I have seen of Judy Garland interviews and read (I wrote a 20 page paper on her life), she seems to capture Garland's esscence well.

Despite being a fan of Judy Davis's performance, I do agree with most that she should have been brought in later than for Meet Me In St. Louis.

One person complained about the "jaw shaking" Judy is shown doing. This actually happens with some singers when singing correctly for effect. I don't know if Judy did though.

I was more disturbed by Tammy Blanchard's complete head shaking when singing.

Shrill and inaccurate portrayal of Judy Garland's life.
When "Me and My Shadows" was first broadcast, it was broadcast the week of my first quarter-century as a Judy Garland fan and serious collector. I had taken issue with the book and how Lorna Luft had such specific and almost mundane memories of unfortunate events in Judy Garland's life, but glossed over Judy's humor, her grace, and her courage, and worse yet, implied that Garland's last two years were basically a burn-out. Judy completed 120 concerts in her last two years. Her 1967 tour saw 80 concerts performed with only three cancellations. What angered me the most was the error that Luft made when stating that Garland had canceled her entire 12/67 run at Caesar's Palace when Burt Lahr ("Oz's" Cowardly Lion) passed away. This is untrue. Recordings and photographs exist of Judy's engagement. She did cancel one show when she found out about Lahr, but was back the next night and dedicated "Over the Rainbow" to him. I won't go on to the other 191 factual errors about Garland in Luft's book.
In the film, Tammy Blanchard does an admirable job as young Judy, and her performance is the only thing that made me choose a two star rating instead of one. Her skill at interpreting Judy's gawky adolescence, burgeoning style and mannerisms is uncanny.
Judy Davis arrives like a plane crash, and shrieks and whines her way through the remainder of the film (incongruously entering the film at the time Garland was about 22 and Davis in her 40's). Garland's humor and genius and survival instincts are lost in the need to push the Judy Garland story through the mind set, prejudices, bitterness and self-aggrandizing filters of those who have gone through recovery from substance abuse.
Sid Luft and the Group V corporation he formed with two "associates" (both with prison records), was responsible for bleeding Judy of considerable monies in 1967-68, and Luft eventually sold Judy's contract for ONE DOLLAR to another group of similarly shady-credentialed individuals.
Judy's ability to, in her words, "rise above" her situations isn't even alluded to. As far as Luft is concerned, Garland was too trusting and not discerning and the loss of money was due to these faults.
As a result, the casual viewer thinks, because of the quality of the wardrobe and the attention to visual detail, that this is the true story of Judy Garland. What is sad is that this depiction of Judy's life, by someone who was only part of that life for 16 years, is as one-dimensional as a pencil line. If the essence of Garland and her uncanny abilities had received as much attention as the costumes, this might indeed be a significant film.

Judy Davis ruins this film
I do love this movie right up until the part where Judy Davis becomes Judy Garland. Tammy Blanchard on the other hand, IS Judy Garland. She looks like her too! She definitely is one of the greatest actors I've seen in a long time. But Judy Davis......couldn't they have at least TRIED to find someone that looked like Garland, and who was a little younger? I absolutely despise the way Davis moves her mouth when she is "singing". If you watch the real "Meet Me in St Louis", Judy Garland never does this while singing the Trolley Song. To put it more simpler, Judy Davis ruined this film for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This family drama, based on a novel by Ellyn Bache, is overly familiarin itsconcentration of cracked secrets and family revelations all pouring downduring a brief crisis. But it has a fine cast led by Susan Sarandon, and they make the whole enterprise a watchable affair. Sarandon plays amiddle-aged mother of a brood of mostly grown sons. Suffering from empty-nestsyndrome, she tends toward anxious dreams in which one or another of theboys is missing overseas. After having a nightmare that one--a Marine assignedto a Sinai peacekeeping force--has been hurt,word comes that a terrorist attack has indeed left his status inquestion. As the rest of the family gathers in the glare of fear--including Sarandon's estranged husband (Sam Shepard), suffering some form of(metaphorical) blindness--lots of unspoken things are said about oldrivalries, ancient grievances, etc. It's all a bit thickly designed, but thelikes of Robert Sean Leonard, Sean Astin, Marcia Gay Harden, Nick Stahl, andmost of all Sarandon make it entirely palatable. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (5)

great stuff
This is one of my favorite movies. As a 40 year male with no children I don't think I'll ever be able to get closer to understanding the feeling a mother has about her children than when I watched this moovie. Great ensemble cast. You'll defiantly laugh and cry in this movie. Sarandon and Shepard were great. I don't know the name of any of the children but it included the guy from swing kids and the guy from Mall Rats. The kid that figured out teh alergy situation has been around to and they all do a good job. Lots of realism in Surandans neurosis. There is a great piece of acting by the actress who played the wife of the "swing kids guy" in the kitchen scene with Sarandon. I call it the tequila and meatloaf sceen. That's the best scene in the movie mostly due to some dynamite dialogue. Other great scenes include the scene at the creek, the post dog attack, the fire in the driveway scene, the reporter confrentation, and the morning bunk bed sceen when the young kid says today's the day we'll find out.

Give this to your mother.
I watched this the week before Mother's Day and couldn't help thinking what a good gift it would make for a strong, passionate sort of mother. There is one scene with a savage dog that I will remember for a long time because of what it says about a mother's love. It's an interesting, offbeat film about love, families, and mothers. I will also continue to think some about the scene where the mother reacts to the son's smoking dope and he let's her know she can't knock something she hasn't tried. Again, the depth of her passionate mothering is inspirational.

A beautiful movie about togetherness.
I thought that Susan Sarndon's character was incerdibly moving as well as Sam Shepard,Sean Aston and of course the young actor that always has my respect, Nick Stahl.A movie about family closeness and not missing a thing.

Representation of the typical NORMAL American family.
Watching this movie was like visiting old friends that one sees on the holidays or goes on vacations with. I simply loved this movie and all of the little quirks in each of the characters: Mag's classical music stress relievers, Patrick's blindness, Alfred's compulsive neatness, Izzy's annoying observations, Percival's rebelliousness, Gideon's guilt, Merle's and Darren's twinness, and finally, Simon's hair. The fact that each character has something different about him or herself shows that this "dysfunctional" American family is just about as normal a family as I've ever met. One of the best qualities of this movie is that the issues and the family roles that are portrayed by and between each character are very realistic. My mother and I, as we watched the film, could relate to many of the scenes. My mother continually nodded her head as Mag went from scene to scene with a motherly presence so dominating it simply defined her as the representation of every mothers' unconditional love. My favorite moments in the movie occurred between Mag and her youngest son, Simon. Right from the get-go, there is just some unexplainable bond between the two of them that permeates the screen when only the two are involved, even when they scream at each other. Their relationship is a very special one that I can relate to. Izzy's devoted relationship to his father is one that I can relate to as well. Considering this family as "dysfunctional" is like considering the Pope a Hindu, which brings me to my next best quality about the movie. I love the relationships in the film and the honesty that each character shares with one another. For example, the scene near the beginning of the movie where Izzy is greeted by Alfred and the two go on to joke about Mag and her "Mussorgsky-mode" stress relief is pure magic. A scene between two brothers such as this one shows how much the two brothers love and respect one another. It also shows how in-tune to the family they are because they know the goings-on that occur with their mother, the sporatic blindness that occurs with their father, and just about everything that occurs with their other brothers. The relationships in the film are what holds the film together so well. Each character is forced to reevaluate how he or she feels about every other family member and how those relationships will either improve or grow stronger from the hardships placed before them. Susan Sarandon's portrayal of Margaret Singer was absolutely golden, Nick Stahl's portrayal of Simon was both poignant and hilarious at the same time. Over the course of an hour and thirty-eight minutes, I absolutely fell in love with this family, I felt like I've known them for years. Wonderful feel-good film.

Transitions In Life Are Tough Stuff!
Safe Passages is an extremely engaging film of a family in the process of change. Susan Sarondon and Sam Shepherd play the parents of seven sons. All except one are now raised and out of the house. Sarandon having been a Mom since 19 is now in crisis; the realization of the energy she has spent raising her sons -- at the personal cost of any career or work is a challenging crossroads for her. We find her resentful of her children on one hand for having kept her away from career and frightened on the other hand of what to do with her life now that her sons are raised. She is completely uncertain that she can start a career at this point in her life.The entire family is summoned upon learning that one of the boys may have been killed in a terrorist bombing upon the Marie barracks he was assigned to. While clearly emergent, the family finds itself coming together only to be stuck together in wait -- the endless process of identifying who has died and who the survivors are is a careful and lengthy bureaucratic process. In the waiting together, the family is on one hand frightened at the prospect of the news they are waiting for while at the same time unintentionally re-examining their lives as a family unit. It is obvious by the kids' assessment of their Mom that she was a tremendous one. They are each extremely well grounded -- with the exception of the youngest who is still home caught in the midst of Mom and Dad's empty-nest crisis -- and have wonderful recollections of a strong loviing woman and a very involved father who reared them. The dad is the less dominant of the couple but he was very clearly involved in the loving care of raising his sons, although more involved with the two boys who were runners who shared his common interest in running. The empty-nest is difficult for him as well. When we meet both parents, beyond the emergency of their missing son, both of them are going through the worst of redefining their identities. Mom seems to believe she has nothing in common with Dad other than the boys at this point. Mom is a bit over the edge and has announced a separation. Dad is sleeping in his office.Through the coming together of the family, much of the crises seem to abate as Sarondon and Shephard realize that they have done a pretty good job of raising well adjusted men who like each other and have a deep respect for their parents.The movie's ending is a hopeful one, the immediate foreshadowing of the promise of Sage Passage for the parents is the news that their Marine son has survived and is fine. While it finishes there, we're pretty confident that Sarondon and Shepherd will make Safe Passages of their own as they move on together as a couple -- for the first time in many years -- without parental responsibilities.Excellent performances by Susan Sarondon, Sean Astin and Robert Sean Leonard. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Trashy, yes...but fun too
This biopic got such a trashing from hyper-sensitive Republicans, but really is as good as any other made-for-TV biopic and the performances are better than most. Judy Davis captures Nancy perfectly and James Brolin is eerie as Reagan. Made for TV biopics always dwell on the dramatic and seamy. This is network TV after all (even if CBS chickened out and stuck it on Showtime). I would never expect something like Paul Schrader's film Mishima (one of the most artful biopics ever made) to show up on network television, for example. And after all, Ron and Nancy were very very eccentric people and just because someone is elected president by a minority of Americans (because most Americans don't vote, after all) doesn't mean they have to be lionized. I thought The Reagans was quite sympathetic and moving...and this is coming from someone who thinks Reagan epitomizes the very worst in the US presidency (well, at least until W came along). So don't believe all the hype and watch it for yourself. Now when will they make The Clintons? That would be a hoot!

trash heaven
Anyone who expects to see a balanced political view is in for a big disappointment but fans of bad made-for-TV bios will be in hog heaven. James Brolin is a dead-on as the clueless Reagan, although his performance and make-up are just this side of a marathon SNL skit. Judy Davis, meanwhile, never looks much like his calculating wife (the movie should have been called "Nancy Dearest") but nevertheless steals the show by suggesting what would have happened if Judy Garland had been cast in the Angela Lansbury role in "The Manchurian Candidate." And if this thing snags an Emmy nomination for best make-up, it will be in spite of Ron Jr.'s ridiculous wig which makes him look exactly like Prince Valiant. Actually, the most impressive work comes from the actress who plays rebellious Patty Davis--I'll have to watch it again to see whether the make-up crew bothered giving her a mid-career nose bob like the real Patty. This one gets my vote!

Surprisingly good for a made for TV movie!
This film got my attention because of the controversy, with conservatives demanding it not be shown on CBS. Being a liberal who didn't think much of the Reagans, I expected to see an unfavorable portrayal of the Reagans...but as I watched it, I felt impressed by Ronald Reagan, if he was actually the way James Brolin brilliantly captures him (voice, presence, walk). He comes across as a likeable, funny person who is not much for the details and appears to be mishandled by his cutthroat staff members. James Brolin and Judy Davis deserve Emmy wins for their portrayal of the first couple. Its touching to see how much they obviously love each other through the trials of a public life, even if their relationship to each other came at the expense of their children. I own a few Kennedy movies, and don't recall any attempts at boycotting/censoring those, even if they portrayed JFK's infidelity and health problems. This movie about the Reagans shouldn't surprise anyone who has read the autobiographies/memoirs by Ronald, Nancy, and Patti Davis. This film gave me a renewed appreciation for Reagan as a person and president. Conservatives should take note...if this film was a liberal slam against the former president, then it wouldn't have changed the mind of this liberal regarding him as a person. I still may not like most of his policies, but its hard to fault a funny, decent man that Reagan was. This film stands with "Jefferson in Paris" and "Thirteen Days" as must own movies about real American presidents.

Fascinating if a bit aimless
The problem with biopics is that in the real world events happen to people here and there. There is rarely a driving narrative to real people's people's lives. So you watch something like THE REAGANS fascinated by the detail (especially in its portrayal of the Reagan children trying to cope with their closed-off parents), but there's nothing to really be learned from the whole narrative. The Reagans meet and get married, have children; Ronnie runs for governor and then for the presidency four times (twice successfully); he gets shot in office and nearly undone by Iran/Contra, and then they go back to California. That's it.

This miniseries was based on a book about the First Ladies of the US, so Nancy of course figures heavily into it. Judy Davis, inarguably one of the greatest actors living today, would seem born to play the ironwilled Nancy, and she approaches her part with a great deal of intelligence and makes Nancy seem enormously sympathetic even at her most imperious to her husband's staff or at her most firebreating to her children. She even gets to do a musical number, with great panache (Nancy's famous rendition of "Second-Hand Rose" for the Gridiron club), and she is allowed one exceptionally poignant scene (her meeting with her senile mother at a retirement home in the mid 80s). James Brolin fares less well: he looks very much like Reagan, and has the mannerisms and the voice down pat (he's even as good a mimic as President Reagan reportedly was), but he does not project the needed vitality. The Reagan children are well portrayed--lonely and needy Michael, upbeat Maureen, angry Patti (Zoie Palmer, in a particularly fine and furious small performance) and practical Ron Jr.--,but you feel they often get shunted off from the main narrative just as they apparently did in real life from their parents' all-consuming love relationship and political ambition. Republicans were furious before this miniseries aired about its antipathy towards the Reagans' politics, but the only real points it scores against the Reagan administration is in its willful obliviousness to the AIDS crisis.

James Brolin in a Reagan Mask
The film was not as bad as I expected from the reviews, except that James Brolin looked like he was wearing a Ronald Reagan smiling mask. If one were to take any single still frame out of the film it would look like Reagan. If you listened to the voice, it would sound like Reagan. However, Brolin lacked the life and expressions of the real Ronald Reagan. The real Reagan captivated audiences. Brolin seems flat and empty.

The film is limited in time and cannot cover all the facts, but at times issues were raised without fully addressing them. For instance, the film raised the issue of Reagan saying he had seen the holocaust while his advisors note that Reagan never left the US during the war. They don't tell you that Reagan saw some of the first pictures of holocaust victims because of his role in making films for the war.

Over all, it was an interesting film, but the flat emptiness in Brolin's presentation of Reagan was a big disappointment. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent, suspenseful movie! Rob Lowe's best performance!
I don't want to give away many details (like other reviewer) because it is best just to watch as the unfortunate but mesmerizing story unfolds. I happened to catch this movie on TV and got totally caught up in the story. I felt such pity for Rob Lowe and his wife! They were not all together likeable but certainly didn't deserve the unrelenting treatment dished out by the three teenagers- pure antagonists. At first, I thought, these guys are too cruel to be believed, especially for youngsters, but then I remembered that when I went to a private school in the 8th grade for the first time (similar to the background I imagined for these pampered boys), there were individual who were unmerciful to anyone who didn't fit into the narrow perception of what "they" considered "cool." I was particularly vulnerable for abuse being the "new kid, " but I was not ignored and left to go my own quiet way as I wished; instead, I was constantly singled out and picked on. The events in the movie escalate to something I never experienced (whew!), but the story is done in such a compelling and frighteningly realistic manner, I really felt deep hatred for the boys causing the trouble and wished for mercy or at least justice for the victimized couple. Well worth watching!

This Is A Keeper! You Will Not Be Disappointed!
This movie is awesome! It stars Rob Lowe and Jennifer Grey, who are a young married couple about to have a child. Without giving the plot away, they become the target of theft, harassment and home invasion. The bad guys in this movie got my blood boiling, because I just wanted to see them get what they had coming to them. They are so cruel. However...this is not a movie about chopping off heads and blood baths. This is about a couple who fall victim, need help, try to get help, and can only hope that they will get justice. Some movies are so predictable that you just know how they will end. This one has you guessing all the way through and you just are not sure if the good guy's will end up 'on top'. All I will say to that is...Guess you'll have to watch to find out! Check it out! ... Read more