Dennis Quaid’s presidential biopic Reagan surprised many by outperforming expectations at the box office over Labor Day weekend, competing with mega-blockbusters like Deadpool & Wolverine for third place.

Directed by Sean McNamara, the film stars Quaid as former President Ronald Reagan, alongside Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan and Jon Voight in a supporting role. Despite mainstream critics largely panning the film—giving it a dismal 19% on Rotten Tomatoes—the audience response has been overwhelmingly positive, with Reagan boasting a 98% audience score on the platform’s Popcornmeter.

The film pulled in $7.4 million from Friday through Sunday, and it’s expected to close out the four-day holiday weekend with a solid $9.2 million, according to Newsweek.

The biopic, based on Paul Kengor’s 2006 book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, struck a chord with moviegoers, who praised both the performances and the film’s portrayal of one of America’s most iconic leaders.

Audience members were effusive in their praise, with one reviewer calling the film’s performances “Oscar-winning” and noting the standing ovation the film received at a packed theater. Another praised it for presenting Reagan’s story in a balanced manner, free from extreme partisanship.

The atmosphere in theaters was electric, with some audiences breaking into applause at the film’s conclusion—an increasingly rare occurrence in modern cinema.

Quaid himself shared his deep connection to the role during an interview with Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro on his Sunday Special series. Quaid revealed that although he initially voted for Jimmy Carter in 1976, he ultimately supported Reagan in 1980.

“Reagan was my favorite president,” Quaid said, adding that he felt a responsibility to capture the complexity of Reagan’s character.

Quaid delved into the challenge of portraying such a multifaceted figure. “That’s the thing between the impersonation and getting to the person about what makes them tick,” Quaid explained.

He described Reagan as someone who, despite being known as “The Great Communicator,” had an impenetrable private side, a trait that Quaid sought to capture in his performance.