The Front Runner

"Gary Hart was going to be President. Instead he changed American politics forever."

Nov 21 2018 R 1h 53m
Biography, Drama, History

Gary Hart, former Senator of Colorado, becomes the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1987. Hart's intelligence, charisma and idealism makes him popular with young voters, leaving him with a seemingly clear path to the White House. All that comes crashing down when allegations of an extramarital affair surface in the media, forcing the candidate to address a scandal that threatens to derail his campaign and personal life.

Plot

Gary Hart, a U.S. senator from Colorado, is the widely accepted front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. After losing the 1984 nomination to vice-president Walter Mondale, Hart decides to run for President of the United States. At one point during his campaign, against the will of his manager Bill Dixon, Hart challenges the press and public to "follow him around" while he's not campaigning on weekends. This proves to be a mistake when in 1987, photos of him and journalist Donna Rice are published by Miami Herald Reporters. In a desperate attempt to clear his name, Hart tries to fix his reputation at a news event concerning the affair but to no avail. Because of the consequences of his actions, Hart is disgraced, berated by Dixon, and forced to drop out of the campaign while his wife Oletha remains to be close with him. Donna also announces that she has personally denied sleeping with the now former senator..

Written by

Matt Bai, Jay Carson, Jason Reitman

Directed by

Jason Reitman

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Right of Way Films, Bron Studios, Stage 6 Films, Creative Wealth Media Finance

Languages

English

Awards

1 win & 5 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
14,544
Average Rating
6.1 out of 10
Metascore
61
Popularity
NA