The Front Runner (2018)

Directed by Jason Reitman. Starring Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J. K. Simmons, Mamoudou Athie, Chris Coy, Alfred Molina, Steve Zissis, Bill Burr, Sara Paxton, Molly Ephraim, Josh Brener, Kevin Pollak, Kaitlyn Dever, Oliver Cooper, Tommy Dewey, John Bedford Lloyd. [R]

In 1988, Democractic presidential candidate Gary Hart (Jackman) was the unquestionable front runner for the nomination until an extramarital sex scandal abruptly ended his campaign in a matter of weeks; does the personal life and flawed character of a politician truly affect their occupational integrity, and is the media unfair in chasing scandal and gossip over more meaningful attributes of their political platform? Film presents a dramatized record of events, but lacks a clear attitude or perspective to really dig into the tabloid-style reporting issues and moral dilemmas it raises (not to mention transformational politics in general)—there’s more scathing insight in the average episode of “Veep.” Despite Jackman’s best efforts, he’s miscast as the charismatic, glossily-coiffed candidate; the supporting cast is littered with a mix of seasoned character actors, relative unknowns, and recognizable favorites, some of whom are given small moments to shine, but many go underused. Doesn’t squander its potential the way that the Hart campaign crashed and burned, but still rarely presents material more compelling than your average “ripped from the headlines” exposé.

57/100