Reagan does a great job of telling a story of Ronnie Reagan, the man, rather than Ronald Reagan, former president.

Admittedly, I knew little about Reagan before watching Reagan. I was a blank slate, and by the end, I felt somehow closer to this man that I never knew. He came from a country upbringing with a severe (albeit high-functioning) alcoholic for a father, turned into a movie star, then became a politician. I can't think of a more uniquely American success story than that, and it endeared me to him, especially when I found out I have the same name as his daughter.

The pacing was a little unsatisfactory for my taste; right after getting into details of when Reagan was shot at, they go straight into his birth and childhood. I was reeling from the non-linear storytelling, but I forget sometimes that the best stories are often told out of order. I do think the documentary would have done better from a more chronological format, just because Regan's life story lends itself well to astonishment at his accomplishments in the order they happened.

By the time they showed footage of his funeral, with Nancy's palms on Ronnie's flag-covered casket, I was in tears. The documentary does a good job of showing how he and Nancy were truly partners, and not just husband and wife. Overall, Reagan is a very good portrait of a man's life.