THE FRONT RUNNER

[jo]

After listening to the ET interviews with many of the cast of the movie --

*They bonded together because they believed in the project, the ability of Jason Reitman to guide the project expertly and with complete self-assurance. Unlike other movies which either focus on spectacle or intimate stories, the theme of THE FRONT RUNNER is something that resonates to everyone -- how political institutions work, how they impact on people, how many perspectives ( the candidates, the campaign teams, the press, the voters) evolve...and how very true to life this kind of a movie is! How anyone can easily dismiss it ( esp that pseudo-critic who gave it a 0 of 4 rating) is pure disregard for what may be important to the lives of so many ( the choice of leaders to bring any nation to its promised land). Very refreshing compared to movies that are pure fantasy or spectacle or emotional traps!

*Hugh has his share of admirers from that cast and crew ( "We're all in love with him...we are obsessed with him...we have a crush on him") -- it is not just what they think is master class in his acting scenes but also the kind of person and company leader on the set he is!

*Hope people see this movie -- it is very relevant to our daily lives under a democratic setting, in this increasingly unwieldy world of nation-building!

*Hope it is recognized as an excellent artistic beacon by the awards community -- it may be not only an artistic success but its relevance is important!

Jo

[jo]

Variety talks to Hugh --

variety.com/2018/film/news/hugh-jackman-gary-hart-wig-front-runner-1202933713/

[jo]

[jo]

Yahoo report on some of the interesting real-life issues from the press conference --

Do voters need to know about a political candidate's sex life? This came up during Donald Trump's 2016 campaign but also three decades earlier when adultery ended another presidential run now the focus of a new film.

Director Jason Reitman's "The Front Runner," about US Senator Gary Hart's 1988 presidential campaign and the scandalous affair that derailed it, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

It stars Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga and J.K. Simmons.

"The film is always asking what should we know, what do we need to know, what do we want to know," Reitman told a press conference on Saturday.

"You ask one person and they'll say I don't need to know what's going on in the president's bedroom.

"And the next person might say he's the president and everything should be available, he should have no secrets."

After two terms of Ronald Reagan in the White House, the Democrats were eager to wrestle back power in 1988.
Hart was their star candidate, with intelligence, charisma and a strong political pedigree.

But it all fell apart when it came out that he was a womanizer who had an affair with a young woman, Donna Rice. Hart dropped out of the race.


The film is based on journalist Matt Bai's book "All the Truth is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid."

In order to adapt the story for the silver screen, he teamed up with Jay Carson, who was press secretary for former secretary of state Hillary Clinton during her failed 2008 presidential bid.

Although the script was written before the 2016 election, when Trump was accused of paying hush money to two women with whom he allegedly had affairs -- porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal -- Carson insists, "It's a way to speak to what we're going through today."

"It's a way to engage with the questions that we're asking ourselves today without the divisiveness of having to be talking about something that's happening right now," echoed producer Helen Estabrook.



The movie presents all sorts of viewpoints, from the candidate himself defending his privacy, to journalists questioning his morality, and political staffers left to deal with the fallout.

There has certainly been a shift in what American voters want to glean about their leaders over the past three decades.
Bai suggested that the public cares less now about extramarital affairs when they cast a ballot.

"what is the measure of someone's integrity? I think those are questions we still wrestle with, particularly in a news cycle that goes so fast," he said.

"Do we (as journalists) assume that everyone is lying and fraudulent and it's our job to find out how. Or do we endeavor to provide context?

"What have they been for their whole lives, their careers, how have they voted, have they been corrupt, have they been honest with constituents in addition to their wife?" Bai asked.


Jackman, who hung out with Hart to prepare for the role, noted: "Post-Watergate every single journalist, every voter assumes there is a flaw that needs to be found out."

But, added Carson, "whoever we're going to elect is a human being and a human being has flaws.
"So we have to ask ourselves what kind of flaws do we want in that person," he said.

Reitman said he showed the film last week to Hart, and then they went out for hot chocolate.

The movie will be released on November 6, coinciding US midterm elections.

[jo]

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/BnfQjAahcMO

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/BnfNrmVBKIm

http://instagram.com/p/BnfOATuBc-P

More like paprika-red than brick-red ( his shirt)



More photos --

www.instagram.com/explore/tags/TheFrontRunner/

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/BnfASBEBEvx

[jo]

[jo]

D'accord! D'accord!


Uber-charming Jackman!! He does know how to work the crowds really well




Hugh thanked TOM ROTHMAN," the current big cheese at SONY who was the big cheese at FOX when he cast a 6'2" Australian fresh from the West End run of OKLAHOMA! in the role of Wolverine".


I've always thought that it was Tom Rothman who helped THE FRONT RUNNER secure distribution rights with SONY.

[jo]

And there's really a REITMAN SQUARE where the TIFF is held. It was named after Jason Reitman's grandparents.


www.blogto.com/news_flash/2010/09/bell_lightbox_corner_named_reitman_square/

[jo]

The charming and talented duo of Jackman and Reitman!

[jo]

On that stage ( especially if you expand the clip to full screen) -- Hugh cuts a very fine figure of a man! I dunno -- somehow it took me back to the heady days of ROW AA at the Imperial in 2003/2004 ( The Boy from Oz)

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/BnfjMIBjWzj

[jo]

[jo]

[jo]

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/BngWwJ_hIr6

[jo]

LOL -- someone must have been taking photos every move that Hugh makes

[jo]

As always -- gracious with fans!

[jo]

More photos --


www.facebook.com/pg/HughJackmanFanSite/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1918530861519629

Such as this one --

[njr]

Sept 8, 2018 21:40:11 GMT -5 jo said:

http://instagr.am/p/BnfNrmVBKIm

http://instagr.am/p/BnfOATuBc-P

More like paprika-red than brick-red ( his shirt)



More photos --

www.instagram.com/explore/tags/TheFrontRunner/

We call that color burnt orange here.

Nancy

[hughmanity]

Love this photo

http://instagram.com/p/BngkKRIB69J

[hughmanity]

VARIETY portraits.  Swipe left..there's two

http://instagram.com/p/BnhRyh6Briu

[hughmanity]

Press to play Hugh's responses to being in a political movie 

http://instagram.com/p/BngcaYdh5NW