IR Film Review: THE BRINK OF WAR [Angel]
The cusp of nuclear Armageddon was spoken of in the 80s and was just a state of being. The USSR and USA were in a stalemate with the buildup of nuclear weapons. The beginning of the film “The Brink Of War” speaks of the Soviet Union contemplating first strike because of US President Ronald Reagan’s backing and support of his new Star Wars defense system. The movie speaks to a meeting in 1986 requested by new General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev with Reagan in perhaps an attempt to bring the temperature down. They met very quietly in Iceland and like "Frost/Nixon", it is mostly in one room as a tit-for-tat between the two men. The actors here are Jeff Daniels as Ronald Reagan and Jared Harris as Mikhail Gorbachev in what could have been a stage play. Writer/Director Michael Russell Gunn in his feature debut shows a very steady hand but also keeps the film lean and mean. He met with Reagan’s SOS George Schulz before the Secretary died in 2021 so likely he got a very accurate inside telling of what actually went on.
JK Simmons takes a supporting role as Schulz and his influence and especially a late inning talk with the president showed his heart but also Reagan’s sly way of strategy which had its own advantages. The back and forth between safety and human rights discussions peppers a lot of the discussion. The beginning and closing images of Daniels against a turbulent sea in Iceland is very apropos. On top of that the project shot in the same exact location the talks happened which really gives the proceedings a sense of authenticity it wouldn’t otherwise have. Daniels, who doesn’t really look like Reagan, captures his tact and toughness in a way much different than Dennis Quaid did. It is simply a different reading but also a different moment in the man’s life. Jared Harris also doesn’t look like his subject but makes you believe it. They are equally matched which bodes well though the suspension of disbelief with everyone speaking English has to be considered. This was one step and the dialogue from this meeting might eventually have helped end the Cold War. Even Schulz thought so. "The Brink Of War" is both effective and a good history lesson from a time and place we couldn’t see then. The people involved knew the stakes but also had to protect their own and you feel that. 85% (B/B+)
By Tim Wassberg
