“A
lousy and tiring run into a politician’s troubled life.”
Nicolas Cage stars as a congressman in the midst of extramarital
scandal and family dysfunction in The
Runner, the directorial debut of Austin Stark which he wrote himself. With
decent intentions but fragile execution, the film provides insight into the glories
and sacrifices of political compromise.
It was 2010 and the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill in
Louisiana caused tremendous damages to local fishermen and tourist businesses.
Moved by the incident, Congressman Colin Pryce (Cage) delivers a passionate
speech about the economic impact of the catastrophe. His words cause positive
reverberations as his political profile is raised considerably. Receiving some
backup resources, Colin sets his eyes on the senate.
However, Colin’s private life is subjected to deeper
scrutiny. Much to his surprise, camera footage of his elevator quickie with a
cheerleading coach and wife of a local African-American fisherman surfaces.
While social media immediately feast on the scandal, Colin faces an impending
divorce from his attorney wife Deborah (Connie Nielsen). With his career on the
tailspin, his former-mayor father, Rayne Pryce (Peter Fonda), comes back to
offer words of wisdom but only ends up having more personal issues with him.
Broken and confused, Colin resorts to more alcohol and a
dangerous budding romance with his married consultant and publicist Kate Haber
(Sarah Paulson). But Colin knows he must get his life back on the tracks and
there is only one way he can do it – go back to basics and continue the fight with
the fishermen he swore to protect.
The Runner feels
like a tired ninety-plus-minute jog into the life of a legislator ravaged by a
scandal. Despite being grave, familiar and cliché, individual elements can potentially
compose an engaging plot. Forbidden affairs, alcoholism, oil spill and daddy
issues are promising stories but the film is not quite successful in unifying
them into a solid whole. What results is a shallow, dull and uninspiring political
tale.
The main protagonist is also an unlikable character and it
is hard to root for him. With his endless booze and playing with fire, his self-destructive
tendencies do not solicit any kind of sympathy from viewers. He appears a good
man though, but the movie is rather unconvincing in creating a faulty man with
the kindest political intentions. Except for Colin Pryce, other characters are underwritten
and predictably drawn.
Like the movie itself, Cage looks tired, weary and heavy. The
film is not visually flattering for him and yet, Cage’s timeless charisma and acting
calibre is undeniable. His delivery is sincere and his speeches pierce through.
Meanwhile, the talents of Nielsen and Paulson, playing the women in Colin’s
life, are underappreciated and not maximized.
The Runner is a
character-driven movie, revolving around a flawed yet decent man. Appearing mostly
in suits or Tulane shirt, Cage has an appealing performance. However, it is difficult
to care for his distasteful character. With its seemingly weak narrative, the film is
generic and forgettable. In the end, it feels more like an episode in any
television law and court drama series.
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