I am biased. I met Reagan once in 1980 and he was polite and friendly.

He was also a product of the Middle West (born in Tampico, Illinois and raised, primarily in Dixon, Illinois).

The film follows him from grade school until his death. Special emphasis is placed upon his relationship with his mother, Nelle, and her influence his spiritual and religious growth. Their church also featured a talk by a Soviet defector who denounced Stalin and impressed Reagan.

One aspect of Reagan's life that was totally sanitized by the film was his active social life following his divorce from Jane Wyman and before he married Nancy Davis. The ladies flocked Reagan who was quite popular and in demand.

As for the Blacklist, I read the book Naming Names by Victor S. Navasky years ago. There were communists in Hollywood, but in typical American fashion that response to the perceived threat was way overboard.

The critics have panned the film while the audiences have been praising it.

The last political biographical film this ambitious was probably "Wilson" with Alexander Knox.