Brink of War: Film Gang Review

When you think of the 1980s, you might picture fun pop music, Day-Glo sweatshirts, and a carefree era. What you may not realize is how close the United States and the Soviet Union came to a full-blown nuclear war. Written and directed by Michael Russell Gunn, Brink of War takes us back to 1986 at the nuclear arms summit in Iceland. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev meet to discuss reducing nuclear weapons on both sides. The film offers a compelling look at how each leader views the other country’s political systems. Reagan sees the Soviet Union as an “evil empire” that deprives its people of basic goods, services, and rights. Gorbachev believes American capitalism is too focused on making money and creates significant inequality. While both leaders have valid criticisms, the meeting reveals that the two countries may be more alike than they realize. Jeff Daniels, despite the makeup not making him look exactly like Ronald Reagan, does an excellent job of embodying the former president. He portrays Reagan as relaxed, with a jokey sense of humor, but also quietly determined to make progress with the Soviet leader. Jared Harris is magnificent as Mikhail Gorbachev, portraying him as feisty, forthright, and willing to compromise—but not at the expense of his country’s security. As the talks approach an agreement to eliminate nuclear weapons within ten years, one major sticking point remains. Gorbachev wants the United States to dismantle its Strategic Defense Initiative, or SDI, because he fears it could give America the ability to launch a preemptive strike against the Soviet Union. Reagan wants to keep SDI as protection against other rogue nations, while also pushing Gorbachev to give his citizens greater freedom. Both sides also worry about how to verify that the other is actually dismantling its weapons. “Trust but verify” becomes a central theme. As tensions mount, the negotiations appear to be falling apart. J.K. Simmons shines as Secretary of State George Shultz, Reagan’s closest adviser. He encourages Reagan to forge ahead even when all hope seems lost. The film also includes an entertaining subplot involving the two leaders’ wives. Raisa Gorbachev, played with aplomb by Branka Katic, accompanies her husband to Iceland and proudly showcases Icelandic culture through the press to Nancy Reagan, who remains in Washington, D.C. Nancy, played with equal panache by Hope Davis, responds with her own graceful potshots. The filming of this pivotal meeting reflects the division between the two countries. CIA and KGB agents are separated by a physical masking-tape line at the meeting. At times, the film uses side-by-side frames to emphasize both the similarities and differences between the two nations—differences that could ultimately make or break this historic summit. Ultimately, Brink of War is worth seeing. It provides a fascinating look at a pivotal moment in U.S.-Soviet relations and the negotiations that helped pave the way for greater openness and trust between the two nations. Most importantly, it is a grim reminder of just how close the world came to nuclear war. For the KSQD Film Gang: Molly Sullivan.