Sony Pictures has released the first official trailer for The Front Runner. Directed by Jason Reitman (Juno, Tully), the film will tell the true story of the rise and fall of 1988 Democratic presidential candidate Gary Hart, played by Hugh Jackman, who was considered the overwhelming favorite to win the nomination until his campaign was shut down following allegations of an extramarital relationship. The film will also star Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons and Alfred Molina.

Before I get to the trailer, this is quite a fascinating story. I wasn’t alive in 1988 and surprisingly haven’t heard of this scandal until now. It’s a story that is almost made for the big screen, and because I haven’t heard of it, I’ll be keeping myself from doing any kind of research until after I see the film. I really like the cast for this type of film and the trailer itself is pretty solid. With it being a film focusing on politics and a big presidential scandal, it’ll be interesting to see how Reitman goes about this. Does he go all in or will he possibly maneuver his way around some bits and pieces? The stakes of the story are big and I believe that if it’s going to be told, it needs to really be told.

It’ll be interesting to see how this film is received among both the film community and average movie-goers around the world. With it making its debut at a few festivals over the next month or so, it could make an impact at this upcoming awards season. Reitman was awarded a nomination for his directorial efforts on Juno, and with this trailer giving off the same kind of dramedy vibe that both Juno and Up in the Air had, it could be Reitman’s return to the big stage. Time will tell!

Check out the first official trailer below and after doing so, head down to the comments and leave your thoughts! Do you remember the real events? Will it give us the full story? What do you think of Reitman’s take? Also starring Sara Paxton, Kaitlyn Denver, Courtney Ford, Bill Blurr and Kevin Pollak, Reitman’s The Front Runner opens November 21st.

Oscar® nominee Hugh Jackman stars as the charismatic politician Gary Hart for Academy Award®-nominated director Jason Reitman in the new thrilling drama The Front Runner. The film follows the rise and fall of Senator Hart, who captured the imagination of young voters and was considered the overwhelming front runner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination when his campaign was sidelined by the story of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice. As tabloid journalism and political journalism merged for the first time, Senator Hart was forced to drop out of the race – events that left a profound and lasting impact on American politics and the world stage. Also starring Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons and Alfred Molina, The Front Runner is written by Matt Bai & Jay Carson & Jason Reitman, based on the book All the Truth is Out by Matt Bai, and produced by Jason Reitman and Helen Estabrook of Right of Way Films and Aaron L. Gilbert of BRON Studios.