The Contender

The Contender movie is a Drama and a Thriller. Starred by Gary Oldman, Joan Allen, Christian Slater and Jeff Bridges. The film was released nation wide on October 13, 2000. The is directed by Rod Lurie and the story revolves around U.S. Democrat President Jackson Evans Played by Jeff Bridges, who must select a new vice president after the sudden death of the Vice President.

The Contender is a thriller revolved around politics. Laine Hanson, nominated to be the Vice President of U.S. following the sudden death of previous Vice President. Laine becomes the victim of serious personal allegations involving her in sexual deviancy that is leaked to the press by the Chairman of the confirmation committee, a Republican. The chairman has his personal interest in Governor (William Peterson) and wants him to take office as Vice President.

• Gary Oldman as Shelly Runyon

• Joan Allen as Laine Hanson

• Jeff Bridges as President Jackson Evans

• Christian Slater as Reginald Webster

• Sam Elliott as Kermit Newman

• William Petersen as Jack Hathaway

• Saul Rubinek as Jerry Tolliver

• Philip Baker Hall as Oscar Billings

• Mike Binder as Lewis Hollis

• Robin Thomas as William Hanson

• Mariel Hemingway as Cynthia Charlton Lee

• Kathryn Morris as Paige Willomina

• Kristen Shaw as Fiona Hathaway

• Douglas Urbanski as Makerowitz

• Noah Fryrear as Timmy

• Angelica Torn as Dierdra

• Joe Taylor as Paul Smith

• Kevin Geer as Congressman Skakle

• Doug Roberts as Congressman Harding

• Bev Appleton as Congressman Marshall

• Sandra Register as Glenda

• Anthony Booth as Peter Crenshaw

• Andrew C. Boothby as Steven Poullet

• Irene Ziegler as Maggie Runyon

• Del Driver as Director Friend

• Sean Pratt as Wilke

• Bill Bevins as Anchorman

• Ed Sala as Show Producer

• Kirk Penberthy as Stevenson

• Justin Dray as Stagehand

• David Laubacher as Reporter

• David Bridgewater as Aide

• Kevin Grantz as Secret Service Chief

• Michael Kennedy as Congressman Fletcher

• David Londoner as Congressman Jones

• Billy Dye as Waiter

• Larry King as Himself

• Amit Mehta as ABU Hunter

• Greg Cooper as Ted Edwards

• J. Scott Shonka as Cappy

• Scoot Powell as Attorney

• Catherine Shaffner as Patricia Lavameer

• Stan Kelly as Alan

• William L. Chandler as Personal Waiter

• Liz Marks as Sheila

• Robert Harvey as Lobbyist

• Steve Hurwitz as Lobbyist

• Ricardo Miguel Young as Reporter

• Sherri Richmond as Reporter

• Teresa Jones as Reporter

• Lynn West as Reporter

• Dave Guertler as Reporter

• Michael Goodwin as Reporter

• Heather Rosbeck as Elaine Bidwell

• Roderick Jimenez as Trevor

"For his sophomore effort, filmmaker Rod Lurie has once again turned his attention to the Oval Office. The Contender, a low-key political thriller that relies primarily on character interaction to develop tension, is a close cousin to Lurie's previous cinematic endeavor, Deterrence. However, despite a much larger budget, the writer/director has wisely chosen to limit the scope of The Contender to the domestic arena (Deterrence featured a game of nuclear chicken between the United States and Iraq). This allows for a better focused story with more compelling characters." - James Berardinelli, Reelviews http://www.reelviews.net/movies/c/contender.html

"Hollywood's latest political potboiler could have been something. It could have lived up to its own title and been a real contender.

Forgive the indirect "On the Waterfront" quotation, but it seems particularly fitting to use when discussing "The Contender," which settles for being a good movie when it might have been a great one.

Though "The Contender" has a terrific cast and a plot that could have been ripped from today's headlines, this dramatic thriller doesn't heed its own advice about fair treatment, instead playing up the expected Hollywood cliches about the differences between liberal and conservative politics. Jeff Vice, Deseret News" movie critic http://www.deseretnews.com/movies/view/1,1257,145000097,00.html