Actors - The Contender

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	Actors - The Contender

The Contender (2000) is a political thriller directed by Rod Lurie about a Democratic President who, 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 taps a talented female Senator as his running mate, 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? This movie is in many ways a depiction of a modern-day witchhunt.

Cast and characters

Gary Oldman
as Rep. Sheldon Runyon. 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 Hanson. 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.

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.

Christian Slater
as Rep. Reginald Webster. A Democrat who allies with Runyon to defeat the nominee. He later allies with the President.

William Petersen
as Governor Jack Hathaway. 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.

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.

Tagline

"Sometimes you can assassinate a leader without firing a shot."

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.

Reaction

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, namely for 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 Oldman criticized the final product. He alleged that editing cuts were made due to the studio's Democratic leanings. Oldman and his manager, 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". Urbanski actually alleged that the film is a "piece of propaganda on par with that produced by Joseph Goebbels". It is important to remember that Hanson was once a Republican, which is noted that she "can't be too far to the left." Also, Hathaway turns out to be a corrupt individual, providing one of the final twists in this film.

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Actors - The Contender

Cast and characters

Tagline

Quotes

Reaction

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