In October 1986, during the Cold War, Jeff Daniels as Reagan travels to Reykjavík, Iceland, to meet Jared Harris as Mikhail Gorbachev for talks on nuclear arms. The film opens near the end of the summit, with Reagan telling J.K. Simmons that he has failed to secure what he considers an extraordinary agreement because Gorbachev is walking away over a single word.
> "a single word"
The narrative then rewinds 72 hours to the start of the negotiations, landing the audience in Höfði, the striking house where the fateful discussions unfold. Reagan opens with a strong, moral stance, pressing on the Soviet Union’s treatment of dissidents and raising a humanitarian plea: the sister of the Soviet-born cellist Mstislav Rostropovich should be allowed to visit her brother in the United States. Gorbachev responds with a surprise pivot, proposing a 50 percent reduction in both nations’ nuclear arsenals, a bold shift that shifts the tone of the talks. Reagan, receptive to the idea, pushes further, hinting at the possibility of fully eliminating nuclear arsenals, and the conversations quickly expand beyond mere arms control into broader questions of political systems, freedom, and legitimacy.
As the dialogue deepens, the two leaders reveal measured trust built on a shared seriousness about change, even as suspicion lingers. Reagan condemns the imprisonment of Soviet dissidents and restrictions on individual liberty, while Gorbachev counters by pointing to issues at home—homelessness, high murder rates, and the long, painful history of racism in the United States. When Reagan points to the oppression of opposing voices in the Soviet Union, Gorbachev fires back with a pointed remark about Reagan’s own security and the attempt on his life in 1981, noting that political opponents in the United States could still face lethal danger. The exchange is sharp, personal, and revealing, underscoring how each leader judges the other’s system through the lens of their own experiences and fears.
Outside the main room, Raisa Gorbacheva draws significant media attention with public appearances, including a visit to a famous spa, while Nancy Reagan stays stateside, lamenting her absence from the negotiations. Western journalists struggle to glean substantive details, as KGB and Secret Service personnel tightly control access to the Höfði residence. Amid the pressure, the atmosphere shifts between friction and budding candor as the leaders inch toward a potential breakthrough, underscoring how fragile progress can be when core strategic concerns remain unresolved.
The talks begin to close in on a landmark, albeit fragile, agreement: substantial reductions in nuclear weapons, coupled with a mutual understanding about the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). The sticking point centers on SDI—America’s planned missile-defence program. Gorbachev argues that an effective American defence would destabilize the nuclear balance and insists that SDI research be confined to the laboratory for ten years. Reagan refuses to abandon the drive, insisting he cannot discard a shield that protects the United States. The stalemate persists, and the narratively crucial word that blocks a full deal remains stubbornly unresolved.
As the scene circles back to the initial moment, it becomes clear that the key blocker is the word “laboratory”—the one term that prevents a sweeping agreement. Despite the near-miss of a pact that could have led to the elimination of their nuclear arsenals, Reagan and Gorbachev part ways with a sense that they have achieved something meaningful: improved communication, greater mutual understanding, and groundwork for future arms-control progress, including the treaty that would come the following year. Before departing, Reagan revisits the humanitarian appeal for Rostropovich’s sister, and this time Gorbachev grants the request. The two leaders shake hands, and the film closes on the final spoken word, an understated yet decisive moment: > deal.
