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THE RUNNER

"Conflicted Politician Seeks Justice"

What You Need To Know:

THE RUNNER stars Nicolas Cage as Colin Price, a popular Louisiana congressman trying to get monetary damages paid by the 2010 BP Oil Company after the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster. Colin’s determined to get payouts to his constituents to make up for the loss of their livelihoods, but his quest is compromised severely when journalists reveal he cheated on his own wife with the wife of one of his best friends. Colin deals with his desire to fall off the wagon after 16 years of sobriety due to the strains of his marriage, his crusade for fishermen, another affair, and the serious illness of his father.

All of this adds up to a compelling and well acted, if occasionally slow-moving, character drama about a man torn between noble and base impulses. The protagonist is a morally conflicted, but interesting, character, well played by Nicolas Cage. That said, THE RUNNER has a Romantic worldview, with a fair amount of foul language, some lewd content and politically correct elements concerning the oil companies versus “green” energy. So, extreme caution is advised for THE RUNNER.

Content:

(RoRo, B, Acap, PCPC, EE, LLL, V, SS, NN, AA, D, MM) Strong Romantic worldview with some moral elements as a congressman is forced to come to terms with his moral lapses (including adultery), while trying to gain economic justice for his constituents who are victims of the 2010 BP oil spill disaster, plus some light anti-capitalist elements contains politically correct discussion of oil companies versus “green” energy; about 33 obscenities and profanities (including several “f” words); drunk man crashes car into garage while pulling into home; briefly depicted adulterous sex and implied adulterous sex, but married woman decides to save her marriage, and protagonist returns to his wife; upper female nudity in one scene; alcoholic man goes off the wagon one evening as pressures overwhelm him, and he crashes car into his garage; smoking but no drugs; and, deception, some political corruption, and protagonist is morally conflicted.

More Detail:

THE RUNNER is a moving and strongly acted character study of a congressman forced to come to terms with his moral lapses while trying to gain economic justice for his constituents, victims of the 2010 BP oil spill disaster. THE RUNNER has a strong Romantic worldview with a slight moral undertone due to the protagonist’s impassioned effort to help others, but it’s marred by some lewd content, foul language and politically correct comments about oil versus “green” energy.

The movie stars Nicolas Cage as Colin Price, a popular congressman representing Louisiana who’s driven by the need to get monetary damages paid by the 2010 BP Oil company after the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster. Colin’s determined to get payouts to his constituents to make up for the loss of their livelihoods, but his quest is compromised severely when journalists reveal he cheated on his own wife with the wife of one of his best friends (Wendell Pierce).

Colin’s wife, Deborah (Connie Nielsen), a lawyer working for BP, reminds him that this isn’t the first time he cheated on her. However, their relationship is driven by the desire to maintain his electoral career so she tolerates him, Clinton-style.

Colin deals with his desire to fall off the wagon after 16 years of sobriety due to the strains of his marriage, his crusade and the serious illness of his father (Peter Fonda). He also engages in another affair with his campaign consultant (Sarah Paulson), a married mom. She thinks she wants a divorce and files papers, but nonetheless this is adultery.

All of this adds up to a compelling and well acted if occasionally slow-moving character drama about a man torn between noble and base impulses. Writer-director Austin Stark portrays these moral lapses with relative taste and restraint. Thus, the movie cuts away from one implied sex scene, but shows another one briefly.

Cage is fully engaged in one of his best performances in years, making Colin someone audiences wish the best for despite his lapses. The movie doesn’t excuse his affairs and drinking, but portrays him as a flawed man who wishes he could do better. That said, THE RUNNER contains a fair amount of strong foul language. It also has some politically correct elements about oil versus “green” energy, plus some lewd content. All in all, therefore, extreme caution is advised for THE RUNNER.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

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Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.