The Runner

Set in New Orleans following a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, this drama follows Colin Price, a congressman attempting to navigate the resulting crisis while pursuing a senate seat. Despite his idealistic goals, Price's professional and personal lives collapse when a sexual scandal involving a married woman becomes public. He must struggle with corruption, deceit, and alcohol addiction as his marriage fails and family secrets emerge.

Written and directed by Austin Stark, this was the first of three films he directed, preceding The God Committee and Coup!. The cast features Nicolas Cage in the lead role, alongside Sarah Paulson, Connie Nielsen, Peter Fonda, Bryan Batt, and Wendell Pierce. Produced by Paper Street Films, KGB Media, and Back Lot Pictures, the movie was made with a budget of 6 million USD.

The film received mixed to negative feedback from viewers and critics. It holds a rating of 4.7/10 on IMDb based on 6,200 votes and a 4.9/10 on TMDB from 196 votes. This audience sentiment is closely mirrored by film critics, who gave the movie a rating of 4.8/10 across 37 reviews.