I saw my first Jason Reitman-directed film in a college film class, in the form of a quirky teen drama-comedy called Juno. I like Juno. And then I watched Reitamn's earlier film, Thank You for Smoking, and I was absolutely blown away by it. So naturally, I was pretty excited for the director's newest outing, The Front Runner. And how does it hold up?

The true story examines the three crucial weeks leading up to Senator Gary Hart (Logan and Prisoners' Hugh Jackman) practically seizing the Democratic Presidential nomination. But in those three weeks, something happened. Something that unraveled Hart's entire campaign: stories began swirling about another woman outside of Hart's marriage, and when the Miami Herald when to print with it, Hart's chances at sitting in the White House went up in flames.

Right away, the most effective component of the film is Jackman's charismatic performance. Were it not for the marriage scandal that infamously derailed his campaign, Jackman makes you believe that Hart easily could have won on the merit of his charm alone. No matter where he went or who he talked to, Hart seemed to know exactly which buttons to press in order to get a smile out of someone. And though he is confident, he does have his own buttons that are better off not being pressed. His "smile-for-the-camera" public persona masks a boiling temper, which says a lot about how people strategically project themselves in the public eye.

The rest of the cast do their jobs just fine, particularly J.K. Simmons (a mainstay in most of Reitman's films) and Vera Farmiga (the beating heart and soul of the Conjuring movies), but no one matches Jackman's level of energy.

What helps them all keep up is the dialogue. At times quick and snappy, exchanges of lines are fired off in short rounds that are pretty funny, similar to lines taken out of a Marvel movie. At other times, eruptive monologues add a cold weightiness to the room. Although these moments are pretty clearly spelling out what the themes of the movie are, I don't really mind, because of the passion behind them.

What really sold me on this movie is the execution of its themes. The script touches on a political scandal, and addresses the issue from both sides: the politician under attack, and the journalists covering it. Let's start with the journalists, since films about news reporting frequently captivate me, and this one was no different. While that aspect isn't the primary focus (especially in comparison to hits like Zodiac or Spotlight), the scenes that touch on it have a lot to say about the responsibility that reporters have to cover something properly. If you have knowledge that no other news outlet has, there's no rush to get the story to print before a rival publication can jump on it; in other words, take your time and explore every detail. That is, if the story even needs to be known. Some details qualify as essential information, and some things fall under mere muck-raking, and it's vital to know the difference.

With that said, however, the reporters at the Herald wouldn't have any dirt to expose, had it not been for Hart's dirty actions. Surely, he was wrong; that detail isn't in question. But it's interesting to examine the conduct of a person constantly under watchful eyes, and the justification behind his actions. There's a truly compelling scene wherein Hart is quoted by someone on his campaign team as saying, "what if I want to take a break from the cameras and attention and take my kids used book shopping?" On the one hand, he does have a right to do just that. On the other hand, "taking a break from the cameras" just isn't what a president gets to do. Jackman's interpretation of Hart has a very idealistic worldview, seeing things not as they are, but as they should be. And when things aren't as they should be, he explodes with defensive (and arguably misplaced) passion. Yes, he's right that the media shouldn't be digging into his personal affairs. But if he didn't have anything to hide, it wouldn't matter, anyway.

Early reviews for The Front Runner have been kind of middle-of-the-road; people don't hate it, but nobody's excited about it, either. I think that's because this potentially-heated political drama doesn't erupt in a dramatic conclusion, but rather fizzles out in the realistic and unsatisfying way in which it actually occurred. If you're watching the movie from Hart's perspective, you're supposed to feel defeated, like not much actually got accomplished throughout the runtime. That may not sound like a resounding recommendation, but I think that's exactly the sensation that Reitman and his creative team were going for.

For me, it absolutely worked. The Front Runner may not be my first recommendation when it comes to journalistic or political exposés, but for what it's trying to accomplish, I think it pulls it off smoothly. Jackman carries the entire movie on his shoulders; the script takes a look at the proper (and improper) conduct of someone under close examination, as well as those holding the pens and microphones; and as someone who was anticipating this film, it gave me everything I was looking for. I hope that people get something out of The Front Runner when it hits theaters on November 21, and I give The Front Runner three and a half out of four stars.