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by JediKermit  in Movies,  - Top 100, Mar 25 '01
Pros: Strong acting performances from the three leads, timely message
Cons: A bit heavy-handed and unrealistic in pushing the film's "message", message uncertain
I wanted to see this movie when it hit the theatres. I really did. I'm a fan of some of Joan Allen's other work, most memorably in "Nixon", "The Crucible", and "Pleasantville". I think she's a fine actress, and quite the looker too. So when I heard...
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by pmills1210 in Movies, - Top 500, Oct 24 '00
Pros: Joan Allen, Sam Elliott, Jeff Bridges
Cons: Guilty of playing partisan politics
The Contender plays like a movie that offers insight to a political process. Democratic President Jackson Evans (Jeff Bridges) is trying to fill an executive vacancy created by the death of his Vice President. Not only does Evans want a suitable...
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by phungus in Movies, - Top 100, Sep 16 '01
Pros: Nice cast, great acting, interesting story
Cons: Pushes too much of its liberal agenda
The Contender could have been a great movie if it was not so one-sided. In this film, the President (Jeff Bridges) is looking to appoint someone to become the new vice president, since the old just had just recently died. When the leading runner...
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by Sloucho - Top 500, Mar 24 '01
Pros: The acting isn't all bad.
Cons: I heard Hitler's paintings weren't all bad either. Sometimes content counts.
I have often wondered why the average Chilean peasant demonstrates a more accurate understanding of American political parties than the average American citizen. I suspect it is because the average Chilean peasant is too busy to watch films like The...
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by Montepenny - Top 500, Oct 16 '00
Pros: Fine-tuned acting and interesting premise.
Cons: Sloppy editing and off-kilter dialog.
I have noticed that audiences have voted for a rather high approval rating for The Contender, the political drama that most assuredly has some designs on being an Oscar contender. Just look at the cast -- Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges,...
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by Grouch - Top 200, Nov 08 '00
Pros: Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges and Gary Oldman campaign hard and heavy for their Oscars
Cons: If you don't like movies to shove messages down your throat, consider this your warning
Ladies and gentlemen of this politically-upheavaled nation of ours, I give you America’s greatest hope for the future…Jeff Bridges.
[Mr. Bridges steps to the podium, adjusts the microphone, nods in my direction, then begins to...
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by Chad9976 - Top 1000, Feb 01 '08
Pros: The cast; fairly balanced between political parties; educational.
Cons: Often melodramatic; some cliche characters; leans to the left; preachy.
"The Contender," is one of those "exception to the rule" movies that's smart and authentic and you don't feel you're being pandered to. Think of it as a Tom Clancy thriller where words are the weapons and the media spotlight is the battlefield. Joan ...
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by e_burrell - Top 1000, Oct 13 '00
Pros: Brings up some important issues, standout performances by Bridges, Allen and Oldman
Cons: Lurie's unwavering high-minded melodrama and ideals more often than not interfere with the flow of the screenplay and the story in general
Occasionally a film will come along that's too high-minded. This can have a negative effect on the plot, the characters and the actual viewers. I had read rave reviews about The Contender before seeing it at a screening tonight - and been...
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by mgreber - Top 1000, Mar 13 '01
Pros: Outstanding acting from Bridges, Allen, Oldman and others, and a good plot.
Cons: Political preaching from Hollywood isn't something I want to pay for.
The Contender makes no bones about its aspirations – inspired by the great political films of the 1970’s like All The President’s Men and The Candidate (the latter of which I admittedly haven’t seen), director and writer Rod Lurie...
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by artbyjude - Top 500, May 08 '01
Pros: Interesting in spite of the subject matter. Allen and Bridges!
Cons: Hey folks! Don't kid yourself! This is a FANTASY! Eating noises
This is a political drama, which draws on the worst aspects of our current political three ring circus. It is well written, has some interesting twists, and features some good performances by Jeff Bridges and Joan Allen. If you are a Sam Elliott fan,...
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by roynyr - Top 1000, Oct 14 '00
Pros: Great acting, plot well constructed
Cons: None
The Contender is another one of those movies that delves into the most intriguing world of politics but looks at it with an interesting new twist and with very provocative sexual overtones. In this film, the vice president has died and the...
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by macresarf1 - Top 100, Oct 11 '00
Pros: A top flight cast of actors have a field day. Generally compelling and entertaining.
Cons: Technical mistakes and a plot that melodramatically betrays the film's drama and credibility.
Not since the misunderstood and underrated NIXON (Stone, l995) have we had a serious film about the American political process. On the eve of the 2000 elections came THE CONTENDER by second time Writer/Director Rod Lurie, starring Joan Allen, Gary ...
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by janesbit1 - Top 200, Oct 18 '00
Pros: Nice performance by Christian Slater, adequate acting by Bridges and Allen
Cons: Weak script -- very shallow and simple minded, lacks character development, tedious and totally predictable outside of the ludicrous plot twist at the end
I generally enjoy films that pack some political power into their plots. While All the President’s Men is the Everest of the genre, other films like The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, and Primary Colors provide...
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by ChrisJarmick - Top 50, Mar 19 '01
Pros: Sam Elliott Surprisingly good, very good Joan Allen, Good Oldman and Bridges.
Cons: Some forced pandering to the audience scenes at end of film.
The Contender is an above average, intelligently written, well acted, political drama. It's a film which many will consider bold because it makes no apologies for being on the left side of the fence. It's got a nice smart twist, and some strong...
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by shoehorny - Top 200, Nov 06 '00
Pros: Good acting by all
Cons: Very bad plot
Review of the Contender (November 6, 2000)
I wouldn't say that this was the worst movie I saw so far this year - that dishonor goes to Mission Impossible 2. Yet, this movie was pretty bad. The plot was thin. The message was weak. The...
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