• The Contender (2000)

    When the sitting Vice President dies, Senator Laine Hanson is chosen by the President to be the first woman to hold the office. The selection meets with opposition from members of both parties, in particular a powerful political adversary who will seemingly stop at nothing to discredit her. Her confirmation hearings set off a firestorm of controversy as shocking secrets from Hanson's...

    Amazon.comiTunes StoreVUDUWatch Online
The Contender
59
metacriticBased on 35 Critics
69
Based on 24 Users

Release Date: October 13th, 2000

DVD Release Date: March 6th, 2001

R |2 hr 6 min

Plot Summary

When the sitting Vice President dies, Senator Laine Hanson is chosen by the President to be the first woman to hold the office. The selection meets with opposition from members of both parties, in particular a powerful political adversary who will seemingly stop at nothing to discredit her. Her confirmation hearings set off a firestorm of controversy as shocking secrets from Hanson's past are revealed, threatening her personal life as well as her political future.

Cast: Joan Allen, Gary Oldman, Jeff Bridges, Sam Elliott, Christian Slater, William Petersen, Philip Baker Hall, Saul Rubinek

Director: Rod Lurie

Genres: Thriller

Production Co: Battleground Productions, Cinerenta, Cinecontender, SE8 Group

Distributors: DreamWorks SKG

Keywords: Mystery, Fall, 2000s, Friend, Cool, Suspenseful

More on Wikipedia

Stream and Watch Online

Cast & Crew

view all

Ratings & Reviews

  • 100
    Roger EbertChicago Sun-Times

    One of those rare movies where you leave the theater having been surprised and entertained, and then start arguing. show more

  • 88
    Michael WilmingtonChicago Tribune

    It's an intelligent and informed look at the preposterous ways our leaders are often picked and sabotaged.

  • 55
    Michael AtkinsonMr. Showbiz

    It's a polished, beautifully made movie with a rotten heart.

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com

Similar Movies

Deterrence
Deterrence

The President of the United States finds himself snowed in at a Colorado diner. The President must confront a national crisis and impending war when Iraq invades Kuwait. Trapped in the snowbound diner...

Stream Online
Fair Game
Fair Game

Wife and mother Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) has a double life as a CIA operative, hiding her vocation from family and friends. Her husband, Joseph Wilson (Sean Penn), writes a controversial article in...

Stream Online
The Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd

Discreet, idealistic and intensely loyal, Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) finds that service in the OSS and later as a founding member of the Central Intelligence Agency is the perfect career for a man of...

Stream OnlineWatch Trailer

Awards

Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Screen Actors Guild Awards (2001)
Nominated Best Performance By an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Golden Globes (2001)
Nominated Actress in a Leading Role
Oscars Academy Awards (2000)
Nominated Actor in a Supporting Role
Oscars Academy Awards (2000)
Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Screen Actors Guild Awards (2001)
Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Screen Actors Guild Awards (2001)
Nominated Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Golden Globes (2001)