Synopsis
The vice president is dead, and as the president makes his choice for a replacement, a secret contest of wills is being waged by a formidable rival. When Senator Laine Hanson is nominated as the first woman in history to hold the office, hidden agendas explode into a battle for power.
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Cast
- Joan AllenLaine Hanson
- Gary OldmanShelly Runyon
- Jeff BridgesPresident Jackson Evans
- Christian SlaterReginald Webster
- Sam ElliottKermit Newman
- William PetersenJack Hathaway
- Saul RubinekJerry Tolliver
- Philip Baker HallOscar Billings
- Mike BinderLewis Hollis
- Robin ThomasWilliam Hanson
- 100
Chicago Sun-Times
One of those rare movies where you leave the theater having been surprised and entertained, and then start arguing. - 88
Charlotte Observer
Supplies the three key elements of the best political thrillers: suspense, credibility and the feeling that you're really sitting in the Oval Office. - 75
Miami Herald
Heavy-handed and manipulative, it also proves formidably engrossing. - 70
Washington Post
As entertainment of a tawdry but compelling sort, The Contender certainly delivers. - 67
Austin Chronicle
A potpourri of issue-oriented drama enlivened by superlative performances and smart dialogue. - 67
Entertainment Weekly
Engages in the cinematic equivalent of not inhaling. - 60
Rolling Stone
Until The Contender slips into partisan politics and platitudinous piety, it's a lively, entertaining ride. - 60
Washington Post
I can recommend the first two-thirds of this movie with great enthusiasm.