A review of the new political film “The Front Runner”

Gary Hart was a US senator for Colorado who, after a credible but failed attempt to win the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984, was the eponymous leader in the race to secure that nomination in 1988 when he was forced to withdraw because of news of an extramarital affair.

This story is told in a film directed and co-written by Canadian Jason Reitman who is known for his cinematic work on social issues and here has deliberately adopted a naturalistic style. Hugh Jackson is accomplished as the charismatic, fluent and liberal senator who, like the candidate in “The Candidate” (1972), wishes to remain authentic; J.K. Simmons as always is excellent as his campaign manager Bill Dixon; but the female roles – Vera Farmiga as the hurt wife and Sara Paxton as the girlfriend – are underwritten.

Well-made though the film is, it tells a simple tale in a conventional manner with no surprises or insights – so why was it made? It was based on a book titled “The Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid” and looks at how the media – especially the “Miami Herald” and the “Washington Post” – handled the scandal, so it appears to be inviting us to look back sympathetically to an earlier, simpler age when a politician like JFK could have multiple affairs and the media looked the other way. 

If that was the reason for making the movie, the timing is odd when we have an occupant of the White House whose affairs (well, some of them) are very public but his political base simply does not seem to care.”The Front Runner” ends with the information that Gary Hart and his wife remain together 30 years later with the implication that, if she could forgive his misdeanour, perhaps the media and the voters should have been willing to do so too.

If – like me – you enjoy films with political themes, check out my reviews of many such movies here.

I’m waiting now for “Vice”.


 




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