The film depicts important moments in 20th century history in a light-hearted manner, but will probably appeal to partisan admirers but not win many new followers.

There's far more hagiography than history in “Reagan,” a reverent biopic of the 40th U.S. president that often feels like the cinematic equivalent of Cliffs Notes, or one of those compact pocket biographies of notable figures designed to be read in an hour or less.

Director Sean McNamara ("Soul Surfer"), working from a screenplay by Howard A. Klausner (based on Paul Kengor's book "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism"), is as agile as ever in his account of the highlights in the life of an iconic figure who, for better or for worse, played a major role and influenced the world stage during the last quarter of the 20th century and beyond.

Indeed, McNamara's film is so streamlined that if you didn't know anything about Reagan's Hollywood heyday before he entered politics, you might wonder why he kept a poster for the film "King's Row" prominently displayed in his office during his terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild. Was it his best film? His favorite film? If you really want to know, you'll have to do your own research.