The Runner plods and Nic Cage drawls; grandstanding and grand-slouching, Congressman Damaged Goods crashes first figuratively, then literally.

A strong supporting cast, particularly Bryan Batt’s slippery exec, enlivens some scenes but the rest is covered in oh so thickly pervasive sludge.

Writer/director Austin Stark’s debut has the kind of pace and incidental score that makes you wonder whether you missed a “based on true events” tag at the beginning. There isn’t one. Truth is often more interesting than fiction, when it’s in up on the big screen at least. No surprise The Runner is VOD-ready then.

90 minutes is a long, long time in Louisiana politics.

RATING: 2/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Nicolas Cage, Sarah Paulson, Connie Nielsen, Peter Fonda

DIRECTOR: Austin Stark

WRITERS: Austin Stark

SYNOPSIS: A Louisiana Congressman is forced to assess his life and career in the wake of a sex scandal.