Friday Film Noir
The Front Runner (2018) is a biographical drama directed by Jason Reitman and written by Matt Bai and Jay Carson. The film details the 1988 presidential campaign of Senator Gary Hart (portrayed impressively by Hugh Jackman) a charismatic politician who was widely considered the Democratic front-runner. The story meticulously chronicles the week in which Hart's campaign was overcome by accusations of an extramarital affair. Initially dismissing the claims as irrelevant to his political qualifications, Hart finds his private life thrust into the public sphere by an aggressive media, spearheaded by The Miami Herald. The film delves into a candidate's right to privacy versus the public's perceived right to know, exploring themes of journalistic ethics, political ambition, and the shifting landscape of American media.