Review of The Front Runner (2018) by Brent_Marchant — 30 Nov 2018

An ambitious, well-intentioned effort about Gary Hart's failed 1988 presidential campaign that seeks to make several statements about larger issues -- the right to privacy, the tabloidization of the American media, the lack of reasonable and meaningful perspective in political analysis -- in addition to chronicling the Senator's self-sabotaged political run, one that many at the time pegged him as a shoo-in for chief executive.

Unfortunately, in telling its story, the movie tends to become unfocused, not sure where to place its emphasis, resulting in a scattered effort that doesn't do its various narrative components justice.

In spite of these issues, the picture does feature fine performances by Hugh Jackman as the conflicted politician and Vera Farmiga as his emotionally devastated wife. However, it's too bad this release doesn't live up to its hype -- or its potential -- given that, if handled more skillfully, it could have served as noteworthy social commentary that's just as relevant today as it was about the period in question.