THE FRONT RUNNER.

AuthorDoherty, Brian
PositionFILM - Movie review - Brief article

Sometimes Hollywood financiers' decisions can seem mysterious. Was there really a huge public demand for the tale of the sex scandal that derailed Colorado Sen. Gary Hart's campaign for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination?

The viewer of The Front Runner can't help but feel she's being told something that is meant to be relevant to Donald Trump--perhaps something about the modern vulgarization of the race for the White House. Hart, portrayed by Hugh Jackman as a dedicated public servant with an overdeveloped sense of privilege, thought his personal life should be off limits to reporters. At the time, that wasn't an unreasonable expectation; many of the reporters in the movie seem inclined to agree. But would we be better off if every politician's private behaviors remained elite secrets?

Jason Reitman's film does not settle the question, but it does make...

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