_**Reasonably well made, but barely scratches the thematic surface**_ Based on Matt Bai’s non-fiction book _All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid_, written for the screen by Bai, Jason Reitman (_Thank You for Smoking_; _Juno_; _Tully_), and Jay Carson (Hilary Clinton's former press secretary), and directed by Reitman, _The Front Runner_ tells the story of Colorado senator Gary Hart’s failed 1988 presidential campaign. The most likely candidate to win the Democratic nomination, Hart's reputation was shattered when a _Miami Herald_ story accused him of an extramarital affair, and he withdrew from the race just three weeks into his campaign. The film presents these events as a significant turning point; when political journalism and sensationalism became intertwined, and private scandal gained importance for the American public. It aims to capture the scope of Robert Altman or early Paul Thomas Anderson’s work, recalling Altman's 1988 miniseries, _Tanner '88_. However, it attempts to cover too much ground, presenting a wide range of characters without developing them significantly, least of all Hart himself. Ultimately, it fails to function as either a darkly satirical examination of the scandal or a socio-political critique of the current political environment in the US. The film begins in 1984 with Hart (Hugh Jackman) conceding the Democratic primary to Walter Mondale. Three years later, he runs again and is now the clear frontrunner not only for the nomination but also to defeat Vice President George H.W. Bush, who was offering essentially the same policies as Reagan's two terms. Plagued by rumors of infidelity, Hart believed his privacy should be respected and that his personal life shouldn’t affect his ability to govern. Exasperated by questions about his

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