About this product

Product Information

Senator Liane Hanson is nominated to become Vice President but during her confirmation she becomes the victim of an attack on her personal life and her sexual deviancy. She is torn between fighting back or sticking to her principles by refusing to comment on the allegations...

Product Identifiers

ProducerScott Shiffman, Willi Baer, Douglas Urbanski, Steve Loglisci, James Spies, Mark Frydman

EAN5051429100159

eBay Product ID (ePID)63209535

Product Key Features

ActorGary Oldman, Joan Allen, Sam Elliott, William L. Petersen, Christian Slater, Saul Rubinek, Jeff Bridges, Philip Baker Hall

Film/TV TitleThe Contender

DirectorRod Lurie

LanguageEnglish

Run Time129 Mins

Aspect Ratio16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen

Release Year2008

FormatDVD

FeaturesWidescreen, Commentary By Rod Lurie And Joan Allen\Interview With Joan Allen\Deleted Scenes\Behind The Scenes Featurette The Making Of A Political Thriller\Theatrical Trailer And TV Spots\Interactive Menu\Scene Access

GenreDrama, General

Additional Product Features

Number of Discs1

Certificate15

Country/Region of ManufactureUnited States of America

Production DesignerAlexander Hammond

Executive ProducerRainer Bienger, Gary Oldman, Maurice Leblond

Additional InformationIn THE CONTENDER, the sudden death of the vice president of the United States forces U.S. president Jackson Evans (Jeff Bridges) to pick a replacement. He decides against picking the popular governor of Virginia, Jack Hathaway (William Petersen), and instead makes the radical choice of Senator Laine Hanson (Joan Allen) to become the nation's first female veep. Governor Hathaway's political friends include Shelly Runyon (Gary Oldman), a powerful congressman who will oversee Hanson's confirmation. Runyon digs into Hanson's personal life and finds evidence that in college, Hanson participated in an alcohol-fueled orgy as part of a sorority initiation. When faced with this scandal, Hanson refuses to respond to the attacks, causing a political crisis leading to further shocking revelations.<BR>Former film critic Rod Lurie's second film (after the thriller DETERRENCE) is a tense potboiler with issues ripped from modern headlines, including the nature of political ideals and the national curiosity with leaders' sex lives. Joan Allen gives another in a long line of stunning performances as the tough, idealistic Laine Hanson, who stands up for what she believes in no matter what the cost. THE CONTENDER also features strong supporting performances from Bridges and Oldman, as well as a realistic look at the high-pressure game of insider politics.

ReviewsUSA Today - ...Compelling and provocative..., Rolling Stone - ...[Lurie] pumps honest energy into it....Played with fiery verve by Joan Allen..., Entertainment Weekly - ...Allen brings sexual juice to the role..., Total Film - ...Lurie keeps the proceedings brisk and accessible....Allen is nothing less than persuasive...The supporting players are just as impressive..., New York Times - ....[Ms. Allen's performance] is an exquisitely subtle study of a strong, high-principled woman pushed to the breaking point....Mr. Oldman cloaks [his] character in an aura of deep sadness...

ScreenwriterRod Lurie

Costume DesignerMatthew Jacobsen

Sound sourceDolby Digital

Movie/TV TitleThe Contender

Director of PhotographyDenis Maloney