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List Price: $9.99 | | Label: Dreamworks Video
Salesrank: 9148
Released: March 6, 2001 |
| Our Price: $3.60 |
| Used Price: $1.15 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
When the truth becomes a weapon, power comes at a stunning price. Gary Oldman, Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges and Christian Slater deliver electrifying performances in this controversial, suspenseful and critically-acclaimed thriller that Ebert & Roeper and the Movies call "exciting and unusually intelligent, two very enthusiastic thumbs up!" Sometimes you can assassinate a leader without firing a shot.
Description of The Contender:
Depending on your perspective, The Contender can be praised and damned for the same reasons. A political thriller with an insider's view, it's deadly earnest in its defense of truth, justice, and the American way, but writer-director (and former film critic) Rod Lurie resorts to the same manipulation that his film purports to condemn. But with political savvy, a timely idea (a female vice president), and a cast of first-rate actors, this high-office chess game is unabashedly entertaining. You can argue with Lurie's tactics, but you can't fault his patriotic passion.
In a role written especially for her, Joan Allen is outstanding (if a bit too saintly) as the Republican-turned-Democrat senator who is chosen by the president (Jeff Bridges) to fill a vice presidential vacancy. Bridges is a cagey chief executive, seemingly aloof as he gleefully challenges the White House's 24-hour kitchen staff but more than a match for the embittered and unscrupulous congressman (Gary Oldman) who plots to destroy Allen's character with seemingly dark secrets from her past.
As a gender-switching response to the Lewinsky scandal, The Contender asks potent questions with its impassioned plea for integrity in public service. That makes this a film well worth defending, and the stellar cast (which includes Christian Slater and William Petersen) triumphs over most of the plot's hokey machinations. The ideas are more compelling than their execution, however, and although Lurie's climactic revelation is a vast improvement over the reckless cheat of his previous film Deterrence, it still threatens to tarnish the gloss of an otherwise fascinating film. --Jeff Shannon
The Contender Reviews:
The Contender 
2009-10-19 - This DVD was purchased as a gift. The recipient was very happy to get it and enjoyed the dvd. The recipient wanted the movie having seen it on tv, so it was
much appreciated.
The contender
2009-10-08 - The movie showed up in great shape and the movie was well liked thank you Grant
zero stars - pure propaganda - not a movie 
2009-04-05 - zero stars - pure propaganda - not a movie JUST SOCIALIST, FEMINIST HOGWASH!!!! -----does hollywood think centrists are as stupid as they are???? VERY transparent.
Pretentious Liberal Preaching 
2008-12-12 - I expected to see a well made suspense thriller based on the description and the endorsements that are on the DVD cover. Well there's no doubt that those critics who gave the thumbs up for this movie lean far to the left. A hollow script portrays all Republicans as evil, scheming, women haters and Democrats are portrayed as righteous upholders of freedom. The story is so polarizing and pretentious that it lacks any credibility. The plot gets so ridiculous that the movie almost becomes a parody of the ideology that it tries to exalt.
On the positive side, the acting and filming are good but it's not enough to make up for the corny and manipulative nature of the script.
The Contender
2008-09-05 - This is the most amazing movie. Barack Obama was recently asked which movie he felt had the best presidential performance. He responded, "Jeff Bridges in The Contender". A must see movie. Love the price and I received it timely.
