The Contender (film)
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| The Contender | |
|---|---|
 The Contender DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Rod Lurie |
| Produced by | James Spies Douglas Urbanski Willi Bär Marc Frydman |
| Written by | Rod Lurie |
| Starring | Gary Oldman Joan Allen Jeff Bridges Christian Slater Sam Elliott William L. Petersen Saul Rubinek Philip Baker Hall Mike Binder Robin Thomas Mariel Hemingway Kathryn Morris |
| Music by | Larry Groupé |
| Cinematography | Denis Maloney |
| Editing by | Michael Jablow |
| Distributed by | - USA - DreamWorks - UK - Icon Entertainment (theatrical) Warner Home Video (DVD) - Australia - Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | October 13, 2000 |
| Running time | 126 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $9,000,000 USD |
| IMDb profile | |
- For other uses of this term, see Contender.
The Contender (2000) is a political thriller directed by Rod Lurie about a US Democratic President and the events surrounding his appointment of a new Vice President.
Contents |
[edit] Story
"Sometimes you can assassinate a leader without firing a shot."
The President, in the wake of his Vice President's death, is seeking the confirmation of his replacement. President Evans considers nominating a loyal Governor, Jack Hathaway, to the position. However, when Hathaway witnesses a car drive off a bridge, tries to save the driver and fails, the President drops him, claiming that his administration can't afford another Chappaquiddick. The President then nominates a talented female Senator as his vice president, only to see her accused of sexual immorality by Republicans, possibly with the help of his first choice for VP. Refusing to dignify the ever-escalating attacks with a response, the Vice Presidential nominee poses a tough question: would having adventuresome sex as a college student even be an issue at all if she were a man?
[edit] Cast and characters
- Gary Oldman as Rep. Sheldon Runyon (R-IL). Runyon is a conservative Republican who leads the attack on the nominee, namely by leaking rumors on the Internet, overseeing accusations of prostitution, and challenging the nominee's liberal position on abortion. He is not an entirely monstrous villain, however, in that he fought to recognize hate crimes as a federal crime. His opposition to the nominee might not be motivated by sexism but rather by genuine concerns about her competence, as well as a desire for revenge on the President.
- Joan Allen as Sen. Laine Billings Hanson (D-OH). The nominee for Vice President. She is a Republican-turned-Democrat who fiercely guards her privacy, although it is later revealed the rumours surrounding her personal life are false. A coincedence is that Joan Allen had one of her very first jobs ever as an actress working for producer Douglas Urbanski in Chicago in the late 1970's.
- Jeff Bridges as President Jackson Evans. In the DVD commentary, Lurie explained the President does not have a confrontational personality, but relies on his charm to achieve his aims. Laurie's first choice was Paul Newman. Producer Douglas Urbanski objected to that idea and suggested Jeff Bridges instead.
- Sam Elliott as Chief of Staff Kermit Newman. Inside man to Jackson Evans, Democratic watch dog, and is President Evans' most trusted aide. Oversees Senator Hanson's confirmation for the President.
- Christian Slater as Rep. Reginald Webster (D-DE). A Democrat who allies with Runyon to defeat the nominee. He later allies with the President.
- William Petersen as Governor Jack Hathaway (D-VA). A popular Democrat and the President's heir-apparent. He has good relations with Runyon and is Runyon's preference for the Vice Presidency. Hathaway is also motivated by his decidedly ambitious wife. Also, Hathaway turns out to be a corrupt individual, providing one of the final twists in this film.
- Kathryn Morris as Special Agent Paige Willomina. A clever FBI agent who collects information leading to the revelation of Governor Hathaway's liability in the car tragedy victim's death, to the complete surprise of many.
- Mike Binder as Lewis Thomas. He is Laine Hanson's Legal Counsel.
- Robin Thomas as Will Hanson. He is the husband of Laine Billings Hanson and Campaign Manager. He was previously married and had an affair with then Laine Billings while campaigning for Senator.
- Saul Rubinek as Jerry Toliver. He is a Democrat and Press Secretary to President Evans.
- Philip Baker Hall as Oscar Billings. He is Laine Hanson's father and former Republican Governor of Ohio.
[edit] Reactions
According to Rotten Tomatoes, a majority of film critics endorsed The Contender. Among the majority is Roger Ebert, who called it "one of those rare movies where you leave the theater having been surprised and entertained, and then start arguing." The film was also nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor.
The film has also been the subject of controversy, as many viewers see it as liberal propaganda. The accusation stems from the fact that the President and Senator Hanson, the primary protagonists, are both Democrats, and the primary antagonist is the Republican Runyon, played by Gary Oldman. In an October 2000 issue of Premiere magazine British citizen Oldman criticized the final product. He alleged that editing cuts were made due to the studio's Democratic leanings. Oldman and the film's producer, Douglas Urbanski, accuse DreamWorks heads Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg - all Democrats - of "turning the political drama upside down to make it mesh with their pro-Al Gore agendas". "If your names are Spielberg, Katzenberg, and Geffen," Urbanski declared, "you can't have a film with a Republican character … who is at all sympathetic … being released on October 13 (less than a month before the Presidential election)." Oldman claimed when DreamWorks bought the film rights, the company forced director/writer Rod Lurie to turn The Contender into an unbalanced, "Democrat-friendly tale". DreamWorks spokesman Walter Parkes denied the charges. "There's no indication to me whatsoever that Rod [Lurie] ever felt pressured" and that "One only has to look at the coverage of the [Democratic] convention to see that the owners of this company have sympathies with the Democratic Party. Did those sympathies enter into the editorial process...or the decision to buy the movie? Unequivocally, no."
Worth remembering is that Gary Oldman and his producing partner Douglas Urbanski and their production company SE8 GROUP produced The Contender.
[edit] Quotes
- Shelly Runyon: We're both sticking to our guns. The difference is, mine are loaded.
- Timmy Hanson: Yeah, being the vice president is better than being the president.
President Evans: Oh, I'm sure you're right.
Timmy Hanson: 'Cause nobody wants to shoot the vice president.
- Shelly Runyon: I do. And what I say, the people will believe. And you know why? Because I'll have a very big microphone in front of me.
