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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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Contender, The
DreamWorks
FILM:
MPAA RATING: R for strong sexual content and language
Starring
Joan Allen,
Gary Oldman,
Jeff Bridges,
Sam Elliott,
and
Christian Slater
Sex secrets from a U.S. Senator's (Allen) past come to light as she is nominated for Vice President.
| GENRE(S): |
Suspense/Thriller
|
| WRITTEN BY: |
Rod Lurie
|
| DIRECTED BY: |
Rod Lurie
|
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: March 6, 2001
Video: March 6, 2001
Theatrical: October 13, 2000
|
| RUNNING TIME: |
126 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: |
France / USA |
Received two 2001 Oscar nominations, for Best Actress (Allen) and Best Supporting Actor (Bridges). Allen and Bridges also received Golden Globe nominations.
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
100
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
One of those rare movies where you leave the theater having been surprised and entertained, and then start arguing.
88
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
Supplies the three key elements of the best political thrillers: suspense, credibility and the feeling that you're really sitting in the Oval Office.
88
Chicago Tribune
Michael Wilmington
It's an intelligent and informed look at the preposterous ways our leaders are often picked and sabotaged.
83
Portland Oregonian
Shawn Levy
An assured and gripping political drama filled with remarkable performances and razor-sharp writing and editing.
75
New York Post
Lou Lumenick
Excellent performances in an entertaining if less than totally plausible story.
75
San Francisco Examiner
Wesley Morris
The sort of smutty scandalmongering the average moviegoer can really get behind.
75
New York Daily News
Jack Mathews
Lurie has made an impressive contribution to the bulging library of political film, and he has showcased some performances sure to get Oscar consideration.
75
Miami Herald
Rene Rodriguez
Heavy-handed and manipulative, it also proves formidably engrossing.
75
San Francisco Chronicle
Bob Graham
Thoroughly engrossing.
75
Philadelphia Inquirer
Steven Rea
A sharp, intricate political drama.
70
Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan
It does move right along and it's enlivened by stronger, more enjoyable acting than this kind of picture usually provides.
70
Newsweek
David Ansen
Silly as it is, The Contende has a lurid zest that keeps you hooked, and a rambunctiously good cast.
70
Washington Post
Stephen Hunter
As entertainment of a tawdry but compelling sort, The Contender certainly delivers.
70
LA Weekly
Ella Taylor
What Lurie has made is "The West Wing" without the constraining niceties of prime time.
70
The New York Times
Stephen Holden
A cast that chews the scenery with such obvious enjoyment that you're happy to put up with its tin-eared oratory and preposterous plot turns for the sake of a good ride.
70
Slate
David Edelstein
Has a nonsensical twist ending that almost wrecks it, but until then it has enough fast, hyperliterate venality to make it great fun.
70
TV Guide
Ken Fox
This smart political thriller gets pulses pounding with no pyrotechnics and only one car crash. And it's a doozy.
67
Austin Chronicle
Marjorie Baumgarten
A potpourri of issue-oriented drama enlivened by superlative performances and smart dialogue.
67
Entertainment Weekly
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Engages in the cinematic equivalent of not inhaling.
63
Baltimore Sun
Chris Kaltenbach
Misfires by constantly tossing out liberal feel-goodisms.
63
USA Today
Mike Clark
Compelling and provocative -- though not memorable.
60
Chicago Reader
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Bridges and Allen are so bracingly good that you're encouraged to overlook how manipulative the proceedings are.
60
Rolling Stone
Peter Travers
Until The Contender slips into partisan politics and platitudinous piety, it's a lively, entertaining ride.
60
Washington Post
Desson Thomson
I can recommend the first two-thirds of this movie with great enthusiasm.
60
Variety
Emanuel Levy
The large, talented cast elevates the film above the trappings of its loquacious debates, particularly Allen.
58
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
William Arnold
Annoyingly shallow, filled with one-note characters, and not half as daring as it seems to think it is.
55
Mr. Showbiz
Michael Atkinson
It's a polished, beautifully made movie with a rotten heart.
50
Christian Science Monitor
David Sterritt
The story is so calculated that it ultimately bears little relation to the real world.
50
Boston Globe
Jay Carr
Wonderfully cast and slickly directed, but so crudely written.
40
Film.com
Tom Keogh
The film's very premise, while initially promising, doesn't hold up to lengthy scrutiny.
40
Film.com
John Hartl
A sophomore writing-directing effort from former film critic Rod Lurie.
40
Village Voice
J. Hoberman
Graceless writing and shameless plot contrivance.
20
Dallas Observer
Robert Wilonsky
The most offensive movie of the year.
20
Film.com
Robert Horton
The film looks horrendous, poorly composed and staged, and the rhythm staggers.
20
Salon.com
Charles Taylor
The most gutless and naive political drama of recent memory.
 The average user rating for this movie is 7.0 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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