The Front Runner

"He's quite scared to be seen

He makes a few apologies

This is Gary"

(Oh f**k off, it sort of rhymes)

The Partially Educated Review

You could have handed me a piece of paper and asked me to write down everything I know about Gary Hart and it would have looked a little something like this.

So it's annoying that my biggest problem with The Front Runner is that I don't really feel like I know a whole lot more about him after watching it. Hugh Jackman is the man himself, as we follow him over a 3 week period in 1987 that begins him with being the front runner (DING!) for the Democratic presidential nominee. The week then continues with a scandal...

…and then ends at a point that would technically be a spoiler if I put it here, though I imagine most of you will know whether or not there has been an American president called Gary Hart.

Jason Reitman (he who be making the new Ghostbusters film) is behind the camera for this. He's one of the many directors who has not managed to keep up the momentum that he built with his first few films, having gone from the likes of Juno to bona fide flops like Labo(u)r Day (apparently last year's Tully is very good though. I'm yet to see it). If we're going to place The Front Runner amongst Reitman's other films (qualitatively speaking) then we're somewhere in the middle.

The good pretty much lies in the performances. Support comes from the likes of Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons and Alfred Molina. While most of them would have felt the benefit of a little more to do, these are the sort of actors who could make Hodor seem like Hamlet. Jackman is also a naturally decent actor, but there's something different about this role; it's decidedly understated. Even in his more natural roles, Jackman has a habit of going hell for leather but, to his credit, usually charms us with the joy of song or punches something until we're too scared to argue with him. Neither would have worked here. With the necessity for Hart to contain his anger at some of the unfolding situations, Jackman is forced to avoid any great explosions of personality. For the most part, he pulls it off with only a couple of occasions where you see him having to restrain himself.

Sadly though, that also brings about the film's biggest problem. It simply failed to show me what it was that made Hart into a very real prospect for President. Perhaps it's me getting a little too accustomed to the horrific realities of larger than life personalities dominating the political spectrum, but I'd rather sit through 24 hours of BBC Parliament than spend an hour with this guy. That isn't down to Jackman though; it's down to how the story is presented. There's a lot of people talking about how great he is, but only fleeting glimpses of him showing it before he buggers off for a spot of (alleged) philandering.

The Front Runner should be commended for its refusal to sensationalise (though that's probably why Vice is getting the awards attention rather than this). If anything though, it needed something to liven up the proceedings. Being unflashy can be great, but while the film is diverting enough there are just those momentary forays into the dull that stop it short of memorable.

SIX out of 10

Aaaand, just because he's called Gary, I'll take any excuse I can to include this.