The Brink of War: Reagan at Reykjavik

Elizabeth Massie never appears in this film, yet her presence is felt. She served as one of Pres. Ronald Reagan’s Soviet advisors. She hipped Reagan to the traditional Russian proverb “trust but verify,” which the President quoted back to General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev with great relish, during the Reykjavik summit. A lot of activists criticized Reagan for not reaching a dramatic agreement (their words for giving away the store just for the sake of a “deal”), but the meeting was later recognized as a pivotal juncture in U.S.-Soviet relations. In fact, it might have the key turning point. That is certainly how director-screenwriter Michael Russell Gunn interprets history in The Brink of War, which opens Friday in theaters, from Angel Studios.

As the film opens, Pres. Reagan appears to consider the summit a grave failure, because Gorbachev has walked away from the table, leaving the fragile pseudo-détente in doubt. How did they reach such an impasse? Gunn rewinds to show the summit’s promising start.

Reykjavik’s isolated (allegedly haunted) country hotel was chosen, because it was far from prying (news media) eyes. Nevertheless, several reporters pretend to cover the summit from the closest bar. Quickly finding them, Raisa Gorbachev launches a full-court media press, thrilled to take advantage of Nancy Reagan’s absence.

The actual work happens at the old manor house, where the heads of state meet in the conference room, while the CIA and KGB awkwardly share the basement, with a chalk line dividing their territories. Reagan’s advisory contingent includes Richard Perle and Ken Adelman, but Secretary of State George Schultz is the only one the President really talks to. However, Reagan doesn’t need anyone to tell him what he thinks. In fact, he came to the summit with a very specific strategy in mind—one that he hasn’t fully revealed to Schultz.

Gorbachev also has an agenda: save the Soviet Union. As he confides to Raisa (while masking their conversation from KGB eavesdroppers), the USSR is dead broke. He needs an arms control agreement, because the Socialist state (what do you think the third “S” in USSR stood for?) can no longer afford to wage the Cold War. He needs a deal more than Reagan, but he has less freedom to negotiate, fearing the military might turn against him (which indeed happened).

Consequently, Gorbachev wants to limit their discussions to arms control. However, Reagan keeps returning to the subject of human rights, because that is what really matters to him. Yet, the real sticking point will be the SDI missile defense system.

Frankly, Brink of War has the makings of a great play, because the high-stakes negotiations between the leaders are surprisingly gripping stuff. It is necessarily talky, but Gunn’s shrewd use of split screens results in a surprisingly cinematic presentation. Perhaps just as important, it fairly and accurately represents the history of the Reykjavik summit and the relationship between Pres. Reagan and Gorby.

In fact, that also entails faithfully depicting the American President’s great fear of potential nuclear Armageddon, which was precisely why he was so forcefully advocated for SDI. Gunn and company make it crystal clear that in reality, Reagan was the exact opposite of a warmonger.

That leads to the issue of casting leftwing actor Jeff Daniels as Reagan, but his performance is respectful and at times quite sensitive, especially with regards to his enduring love for Nancy. He employed modest prosthetics, which really weren’t necessary, but does a nice job evoking Reagan’s instantly recognizable vocal cadences, without recreating them through cartoonish mimicry.

American Rust, on Showtime

Fayette County, Pennsylvania is classic rust belt country. The historical landmarks include an early 1800’s blacksmith forge, a late Eighteenth Century iron foundry, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. Buell Police Chief Del Harris doesn’t have much time to visit any of them. He must investigate the murder of a former officer he fired for incompetence in creator Dan Futterman’s American Rust (based on Philipp Meyer’s novel), which premieres Sunday on Showtime.

Harris is doing his best to maintain law and order, while trying to ween himself off the painkillers he has been hooked on, because of injuries he sustained during the Gulf War and his service on the Pittsburgh PD. He is also trying in an aw-shucks kind of way to pursue a relationship with divorced mom and aspiring labor organizer Grace Poe. Her son Billy Poe is not thrilled with the idea, even though Harris has done him some considerable solids in the past, as we will see from the flashback awkwardly plopped down smack-dab in the middle of the first episode.

Eventually, we understand why Harris did not like what he saw when he was called to a crime scene in a rusted-out factory, besides the dead body. That would be Pete Novick, whom Harris very publicly sacked for being a surly opiate-head.

In terms of themes and tone, American Rust is a lot like Mare of Easttown with more substance addiction and less teen pregnancy (or The World Made Straight with slightly more crime-thriller elements). Based on the three episodes provided for the press, it looks pretty clear Harris will have to deal with one darned thing after another (not unlike Showtime’s Your Honor). However, the series’ primary identity comes from its Middle American miserablism.

Despite the angst, Jeff Daniels is seriously impressive as Harris, dipping into his Broadway Atticus Finch trick bag and adding a bit of House MD for extra edge. His brooding is the stuff of high tragedy. He also has some effective halting rapport with Maura Tierney’s Grace Poe. She truly looks working-class and worn-down by life, while still retaining a lot charismatic vitality.