It is strange given Jeff Bridges' long and varied career that his portrayal of US President Jackson Evans is less reminiscent of Bill Clinton than of a slightly smartened up version of Jeff The Dude' Lebowski. This impression is perhaps deliberately strengthened by the inclusion of an otherwise irrelevant White House ten pin bowling scene and the casting of Sam Elliot (who played the barfly narrator of the Coen brothers' film) as his White House chief of staff.
Overall though, the performances are the strongest thing in this flawed but not unenjoyable political thriller. In particular, Gary Oldman is truly outstanding as the Kenneth Starr-like evil reactionary Shelly Runyon, truly inhabiting a role which he seemed a far from obvious choice for. Otherwise, Joan Allen is suitably martyr-like as the accused Senator if perhaps somewhat too worthy too be true in these cynical times. Bridges makes for an amusingly laid back chief executive, certainly a vast improvement on the current mediocre real-life inhabitant of the White House. Only Christian Slater lets the side down in a superfluous role. The film itself is generally less convincing, however. From the outset the White House seems a much less vibrant centre of decision-making than the fictitious Bartlet White House depicted in the TV series The West Wing. Nevertheless, the story proves genuinely compelling throughout most of its running time, before descending into an orgy of sickening sentimentalising towards the end. Nobody could reasonably disagree with the key tenets of Allen's closing speech to her prosecutors, yet the tone is completely undermined by the cheesy stirring' music imposed on the background. The same is true of Bridges' speech at the end.
PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD: The Contender veers between being overly naïve and overly cynical in turn. Would any modern leading politician relinquish the opportunity for high office, by refusing to challenge an accusation against him or her, which could so easily be proven to be false? But on the other hand is it any less implausible that a State Governor would pay a woman to drive off a bridge just so he could rescue her and bask in the resulting good publicity? (or that he could find anyone prepared to do this?).
Ultimately, The Contender misses the point. It shouldn't matter a jot if a girl was promiscuous at college she should still be able to ascend to high office. The Contender fudges the issue by revealing the girl at the party in question to have been a different person. Even so, for all its flaws, politics junkies will still enjoy it and if you want to see Oldman's first Oscar-winning performance, go see. Overall: Six out of ten.
Overall though, the performances are the strongest thing in this flawed but not unenjoyable political thriller. In particular, Gary Oldman is truly outstanding as the Kenneth Starr-like evil reactionary Shelly Runyon, truly inhabiting a role which he seemed a far from obvious choice for. Otherwise, Joan Allen is suitably martyr-like as the accused Senator if perhaps somewhat too worthy too be true in these cynical times. Bridges makes for an amusingly laid back chief executive, certainly a vast improvement on the current mediocre real-life inhabitant of the White House. Only Christian Slater lets the side down in a superfluous role. The film itself is generally less convincing, however. From the outset the White House seems a much less vibrant centre of decision-making than the fictitious Bartlet White House depicted in the TV series The West Wing. Nevertheless, the story proves genuinely compelling throughout most of its running time, before descending into an orgy of sickening sentimentalising towards the end. Nobody could reasonably disagree with the key tenets of Allen's closing speech to her prosecutors, yet the tone is completely undermined by the cheesy stirring' music imposed on the background. The same is true of Bridges' speech at the end.
PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD: The Contender veers between being overly naïve and overly cynical in turn. Would any modern leading politician relinquish the opportunity for high office, by refusing to challenge an accusation against him or her, which could so easily be proven to be false? But on the other hand is it any less implausible that a State Governor would pay a woman to drive off a bridge just so he could rescue her and bask in the resulting good publicity? (or that he could find anyone prepared to do this?).
Ultimately, The Contender misses the point. It shouldn't matter a jot if a girl was promiscuous at college she should still be able to ascend to high office. The Contender fudges the issue by revealing the girl at the party in question to have been a different person. Even so, for all its flaws, politics junkies will still enjoy it and if you want to see Oldman's first Oscar-winning performance, go see. Overall: Six out of ten.