Is 'The Brink of War' based on a true story? Everything we know about Jeff Daniels' political drama
Jeff Daniels plays Ronald Reagan in 'The Brink of War,' a political drama set during a pivotal US-Soviet meeting of the 1980s. Jared Harris plays Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, with the story focusing on their two days of talks in Iceland. The film comes from writer-director Michael Russell Gunn. It centers on the 1986 Reykjavik Summit, where Reagan and Gorbachev met to discuss nuclear disarmament and arms control.
The talks quickly run into major disagreements. Gorbachev wants to focus on banning ballistic missiles. Reagan pushes human rights into the discussion, including Soviet restrictions on citizens traveling to Western countries. His Strategic Defense Initiative creates another major dispute. The program, often called SDI, aims to develop a missile defense system, which becomes another major sticking point for Gorbachev and his side.
This is where the film's real historical basis comes in. 'The Brink of War' tells the story of the actual summit held in Reykjavik, Iceland, in October 1986. Reagan and Gorbachev really did meet for two days and discuss sweeping nuclear arms cuts. The summit concluded without an agreement, and the talks stalled thereafter. Their talks broke down over disagreements surrounding nuclear weapons and SDI. Yet the meeting helped set up negotiations for the following year’s nuclear arms control treaty.
Reagan and Gorbachev signed a nuclear arms control treaty the following year. The agreement required both countries to eliminate an entire class of nuclear missiles. The film connects the failed Reykjavik talks with that later achievement. The cast also includes figures from Reagan’s administration and members of the leaders’ inner circles. Hope Davis plays Nancy Reagan, who stays in contact with the president by phone and offers personal advice during the negotiations. J.K. Simmons plays US Secretary of State George Shultz, who helps guide Reagan's team through the difficult talks.
Branka Katić plays Raisa Gorbacheva, Gorbachev's wife. The film gives her a role on the political and public side of the summit. Harris portrays Gorbachev as a guarded negotiator who refuses to give easy ground. Daniels plays Reagan with a mix of warmth and firmness. His character focuses on the president's political beliefs and his determination to keep human rights and missile defense in the talks. Knowing what Jeff Daniels did in ‘The Newsroom,’ a political drama series directed by Aaron Sorkin, his portrayal of Ronald Reagan is already grabbing attention.
