In the aftermath of the BP oil spill, an idealistic but imperfect New Orleans politician finds his plans of restoration unraveling as his own life becomes contaminated with corruption, scandal and deceit.
... contains a fair amount of cynicism toward media sensationalism and the political system, yet by always focusing on the politicians instead of the working-class Gulf Coast residents ... the film indulges in that which it condemns.
Despite its potentially juicy political premise and Nic Cage's relatively solid performance - more on that later - Austin Stark's The Runner ends up being a poor-man's version of politically-charged TV shows such as House of Cards and Scandal.
These plot elements, and the actors, have all the makings of a truly juicy and thought-provoking political melodrama. So it's dispiriting to see filmmaker Stark create such a weird, jagged hash out of them.
Although first-time writer/director Austin Stark has his heart in the right place and Cage eschews his trademark zaniness, it's only watchable rather than gripping.
