Starring Joan Allen, Gary Oldman, Jeff Bridges, Sam Elliot, Christian Slater,
Saul Rubinek, William Petersen, Kathryn Morris.
Written and Directed by Rod Lurie.
Senator Laine Hanson (Allen) is being touted as the dark horse candidate to replace
the vice-president of the United States who recently passed away. The Democratic
President (Bridges) is near the end of his term and wants to leave a legacy - the
first female vice-president. But he's receiving pressure to appoint a popular
Democratic Governor (Petersen) who recently risked his life to save a drowning woman
and saw his poll numbers shoot through the roof. But the President nominates Senator
Hanson to be his Vice-President.
Unfortunately, the Governor is supported by the Republican Chairman of the committee
(Oldman) which will examine the appointment before it's voted on by congress. And
the Chairman is determined to derail the nomination. He's helped by Representative
Webster (Slater), an idealistic junior Democrat who disagrees with much of what
Senator Hanson stands for. The chairman sends out investigators to find some dirt
and they find some - pictures supposedly of a 19-year-old Laine engaged in some
wild sexual activites at a frat party. He leeks it to the press, but she refuses
to answer the charges, saying it's her personal life, and "none of anybody's business".
Eventually, there is a showdown over who will prevail.
Written by former L.A. film critic Rod Lurie specifically for Joan Allen, The
Contender is written in the tradition of 1970's political dramas. It features
an outstanding cast and strong dialogue. The speech Senator Hanson delivers at her
confirmation hearings outlining her beliefs and values when the committee has been
attacking hers is efficiently and beautifully crafted - if only Bore and Gush had
speech writers this good. Gender politics is at the heart of the film. Time and
again, various committee members keep saying they will not confirm Hanson just
because she's a woman, but Lurie seems to be hinting they won't confirm her precisely
because she is a woman, and they'd rather put in a male buddy
a little closer to their point of view.
Senator Hanson is way too much of a goody-goody, despite perhaps a little too much
recreational sex in her past. During one exchange with eager young congressman
Webster, Hanson questions his political naivete, but Hanson herself is pretty naive.
Despite growing up in a Republican governor's home and being a long-time senator,
she belives she can just refuse to discuss her private life just because she keeps
saying it's nobody's business. Of course she should be right, but with CNN,
Inside Edition and even Meet the Press forever digging up dirt, it doesn't
work that way. Hanson also asserts a man would never be asked to defend her youthful
sexual habits, a dubious proposition what with Bill Clinton defending past sexual
relationships that happened sometimes over 20 years prior. The conclusion to the
film is also a bit too neat and upbeat, especially when we learn the truth about
her sorority days.
The cast is exceptional from top to bottom, making a good film better. Allen makes
the most of her somewhat one-dimensional, semi-saintly character. Oldman is unlike
you've ever seen him before, but is quite convincing as the right-winger who convinces
himself he's sandbagging Hanson for the right reasons, when even his wife knows he's
not. But the most interesting character belongs to Bridges President, who seems
more interesting in ordering exotic food concoctions from the White House kitchen
than actually running anything, but he is continually planning and outsmarting those
who underestimate him. The Contender is a well-made and entertaining drama
that will likely satisfy those who enjoy political drama, especially if your beliefs
favour the liberal side.
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