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The Brink of War

Play trailer 2:23 Poster for The Brink of War PG In Theaters Aug 14 1h 57m Drama History Mystery & Thriller War Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
61% Tomatometer 18 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Verified Ratings
President Reagan races against time to salvage a deal with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that could dismantle nuclear arsenals--or ignite disaster. With pressure mounting from advisors, intelligence agencies, and history itself, every word spoken brings the world closer to peace... or destruction.
Coming Soon In Theaters Aug 14 Buy Tickets

Critics Reviews

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Kyle Smith Wall Street Journal 1h
The movie does a service in painting a fair and convincing portrait of one of the 20th century’s defining political leaders minus the hammy hagiography. Go to Full Review
Thelma Adams AARP Movies for Grownups 4h
3/5
A static script, awkward blocking and disconnected performances turn down the heat. Still, revisiting world leaders trading opinions 40 years ago on nuclear war feels relevant in the Trump-Putin era and worth a watch. Go to Full Review
Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle 5h
3/4
What makes Daniels a persuasive Reagan, or at least persuasive enough, is that his performance isn’t merely surface. He locates Reagan internally as a man whose geniality barely masks a spine of steel. Go to Full Review
Robert Denerstein Denerstein Unleashed 1h
In all, the movie's style feels musty and dated, as if it has been shackled to the need for period authenticity and seriousness, which is understandable but less than exciting. Go to Full Review
Mike McGranaghan Aisle Seat 2h
3/4
Harris and Daniels are an exceptional onscreen duo. Go to Full Review
Christian Toto HollywoodInToto.com 3h
3/4
Jeff Daniels, Jared Harris bring world leaders to life in smart, satisfying historical drama. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Kim H @khowdill 1h The story could have been told in 30 minutes. Jeff Daniels and JK did a great job. Would be better as a Netflix movie. See more TheMovieSearch R @TheMovieSearch 3h The Brink of War is an interesting political drama centered on President Ronald Reagan’s efforts to negotiate with the Soviet Union during a period when the world was dangerously close to nuclear conflict. This isn’t an action movie, so the heavy dialogue makes sense. The screenplay was actually one of the stronger elements, and I thought the delivery was generally effective. The actor playing the Soviet leader was incredible and brought real presence to the role. JK Simmons was also phenomenal, and if this film launches an awards campaign, I think he deserves serious consideration. Unfortunately, Jeff Daniels was the biggest problem for me. He’s a talented actor, but I never saw Ronald Reagan. I saw Jeff Daniels. The voice, mannerisms, and overall presence never convinced me, and that made it impossible to fully immerse myself in the story. Nancy Reagan’s portrayal also bothered me. Her limited scenes made her seem unnecessarily petty, particularly in the tension with other wife See more Jacqueline R @Stuff503 8h Another horrible film by angel studios. See more Ryan M @Reiner 14h Excellent story. Keep me interested me interested the whole time See more Read all reviews
The Brink of War

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis President Reagan races against time to salvage a deal with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that could dismantle nuclear arsenals--or ignite disaster. With pressure mounting from advisors, intelligence agencies, and history itself, every word spoken brings the world closer to peace... or destruction.
Director
Michael Russell Gunn
Producer
John Logan Pierson, Sidney Kimmel, Matt Aragachi, Christopher Hammond, Tyler Zacharia, John Logan Pierson, Michael Russell Gunn
Screenwriter
Michael Russell Gunn
Distributor
Angel Studios
Production Co
SK Global, 2521 Entertainment
Rating
PG (Language|Thematic Elements|Smoking)
Genre
Drama, History, Mystery & Thriller, War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 14, 2026, Wide
Runtime
1h 57m
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