Talk:The Contender (film)

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[edit] Neutrality challenge

The following is the section that I've entered a POV challenge, with the questionable language in bold:

The film has been the subject of some controversy, as some critics view it as liberal propaganda. The accusation stems from the fact that the President and Senator Hanson, the primary protagonists, are both liberal Democrats, and the primary antagonist is the Republican Runyon, played by Oldman. The controversy overlooks the obvious fact that Hathaway, a Democrat, is a criminal, and Webster, another Democrat, allies with Oldman's character, although Webster eventually returns to the President's side. Additionally, Hanson's father is a Republican who receives favourable treatment. Nevertheless, Oldman, who is a conservative, criticized the final product.

If one actually watches the movie, it is revealed that Senator Hanson has broken no laws. Allegations were made she was part of a threesome while in college -- a sorority-hazing type of thing, if I recall correctly. However, as Senator Hanson was single and above the age of consent, I fail to see how characterizing her as "a criminal" is:

1. Accurate in terms of the plot of the movie
2. Appropriate, as the whole point of the film wasn't "did she or didn't she?", but rather "is it appropriate to ask that sort of question to anyone, regardless of gender?" That is, if Senator Hanson was a male, what he did in college would not be an issue. Yet, because Senator Laine Hanson is a female, somehow what she (allegedly) did in college somehow affects her ability to take the second-highest political post in the United States
3. Neutral, as it is revealed that Senator Hanson didn't even engage in the sexual act in the first place.

I suggest rewriting the "Plot summary" section of this article accordingly.

--Micahbrwn 06:23, 2 Jun 2005 (UTC)

• I am the author of that section. It is important to note that I did not say Senator Hanson was a criminal. Far from it, I said Governor Hathaway was a criminal- he is, indeed, arrested for negligible homicide. I have edited it to make that point clearer. -anon

[edit] Neutrality

I removed one of the negative reviews from Rotten Tomatoes, because with all those quotes from Oldman in the Reaction section, that section was beginning to tilt too far to the negative. I also removed the counter-arguments about Hathaway being a criminal etc., because that leans a little too close to original research, I wrote that part as a newbie and to the best of my knowledge it's not a widespread argument. I think one paragraph on Ebert and the Oscars and one paragraph on Oldman will suffice for balance. CanadianCaesar 01:36, 30 July 2005 (UTC)