Contender, The

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

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

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.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

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

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

An assured and gripping political drama filled with remarkable performances and razor-sharp writing and editing.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Excellent performances in an entertaining if less than totally plausible story.

San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris

The sort of smutty scandalmongering the average moviegoer can really get behind.

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.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

Heavy-handed and manipulative, it also proves formidably engrossing.

San Francisco Chronicle Bob Graham

Thoroughly engrossing.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

A sharp, intricate political drama.

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.

Newsweek David Ansen

Silly as it is, The Contende has a lurid zest that keeps you hooked, and a rambunctiously good cast.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

As entertainment of a tawdry but compelling sort, The Contender certainly delivers.

LA Weekly Ella Taylor

What Lurie has made is "The West Wing" without the constraining niceties of prime time.

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.

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.

TV Guide Ken Fox

This smart political thriller gets pulses pounding with no pyrotechnics and only one car crash. And it's a doozy.

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

A potpourri of issue-oriented drama enlivened by superlative performances and smart dialogue.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

Engages in the cinematic equivalent of not inhaling.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

Misfires by constantly tossing out liberal feel-goodisms.

USA Today Mike Clark

Compelling and provocative -- though not memorable.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

Bridges and Allen are so bracingly good that you're encouraged to overlook how manipulative the proceedings are.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Until The Contender slips into partisan politics and platitudinous piety, it's a lively, entertaining ride.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

I can recommend the first two-thirds of this movie with great enthusiasm.

Variety Emanuel Levy

The large, talented cast elevates the film above the trappings of its loquacious debates, particularly Allen.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

Annoyingly shallow, filled with one-note characters, and not half as daring as it seems to think it is.

Mr. Showbiz Michael Atkinson

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

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

The story is so calculated that it ultimately bears little relation to the real world.

Boston Globe Jay Carr

Wonderfully cast and slickly directed, but so crudely written.

Film.com Tom Keogh

The film's very premise, while initially promising, doesn't hold up to lengthy scrutiny.

Film.com John Hartl

A sophomore writing-directing effort from former film critic Rod Lurie.

Village Voice J. Hoberman

Graceless writing and shameless plot contrivance.

Dallas Observer Robert Wilonsky

The most offensive movie of the year.

Film.com Robert Horton

The film looks horrendous, poorly composed and staged, and the rhythm staggers.

Salon.com Charles Taylor

The most gutless and naive political drama of recent memory.