Dennis Quaid, who stars in the film “Reagan,” recently shared his thoughts on how former President Ronald Reagan might view the political platforms of 2024. He also discussed Reagan’s staunch opposition to communism, which he famously articulated on the steps of his boyhood home in Dixon, Illinois.

This weekend, a new biographical film, “Reagan,” hit theaters. Despite its apparent popularity with audiences—garnering a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes as of Friday—the film has faced harsh criticism from liberal film critics, who label it as “worshipful” and “propaganda.”

The Daily Beast was particularly scathing in its review, with critic Nick Schager calling it “the worst movie of the year.” Schager remarked, “You may have suspected that this MAGA-tinged hagiography would be absolute trash, but it turns out you didn’t think low enough.” He went on to criticize the film as a “preachy, plodding, graceless groaner,” noting that its unrelenting hero worship culminates in a portrayal of an Alzheimer’s-afflicted Reagan riding off into the sunset. Schager concluded that the film’s attempts to depict Reagan as the embodiment of American virtue come off as embarrassingly propagandistic.

Washington Post critic Ty Burr echoed these sentiments, describing the film as “rosy and shallow,” and dubbing it “pop-culture propaganda.” Burr noted that the movie, tailored for Reagan’s staunchest supporters, offers a hagiographic portrayal comparable to the celebratory parades in the Kremlin on May Day. He dismissed it as valuable history and criticized it for pandering to true believers.

Variety’s review was somewhat more tempered but still characterized the film as a “blatantly worshipful biopic.” The Hollywood Reporter also weighed in, with critic Stephen Farber summarizing it as an “overly reverential tribute to a controversial politician.”

In contrast to the critical reception of “Reagan,” 2016’s “Southside with You,” a romantic film about former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s first date, was met with widespread acclaim. Critics praised the film for its authenticity and joy, awarding it a 91% score. The New Yorker celebrated the film’s “authentic joy,” while Rolling Stone lauded it for blending budding love with fierce intelligence.

Christian Toto, a conservative movie reviewer and host of The Hollywood in Toto podcast, remarked on this disparity in critical reception. Toto pointed out that while critics are entitled to their opinions, the near-universal disdain for “Reagan” suggests underlying biases. He noted that the term “hagiography” was frequently used as a slur against the film.

Toto highlighted a pattern among film critics, who generally lean left and allow their political inclinations to influence their reviews. He observed that films by Michael Moore or about progressive figures like Obama and Ruth Bader Ginsberg often receive glowing reviews, even when labeled hagiographic. In contrast, “Reagan,” which unapologetically praises Ronald Reagan and his legacy, is viewed through a radically different lens by these same critics.