Overview
A fierce political battle unfolds as a woman fights for her place in a male-dominated world of power.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- serious
- sardonic
- political movie night
- adult drama evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film gripping and entertaining, with strong performances and a solid screenplay, while some viewed its politics as obvious, verbose, or overly partisan.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Laine Hanson’s vice-presidential confirmation is threatened by circulated allegations about her sexual past, exposing unequal standards for male and female politicians.
The Senate confirmation process provides the film’s central procedural arena, with testimony, investigations, and political maneuvering driving the tension.
The president, senators, committee leadership, and political operatives treat Hanson’s nomination as a battle over influence and public narrative.
Hanson must decide whether to answer allegations about her private life or maintain her refusal to dignify them, giving the suspense a moral center.
Films like The Contender, and why
Primary Colors
shared political thriller framework, institutional conflict, and morally charged public scrutiny
Wag the Dog
shared Washington political intrigue, cynical power games, and tense procedural drama
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
shared idealistic political protagonist confronting corruption and media manipulation
The Manchurian Candidate
shared feminist political themes, public scandal, and serious courtroom-like confirmation conflict
Movie Details
- Director
- Rod Lurie
- Release Date
- 2000-10-13
- Runtime
- 126 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (274)
Cast
- Joan Allen
- Gary Oldman
- Jeff Bridges
- Christian Slater
- Sam Elliott
- William L. Petersen
- Saul Rubinek
- Philip Baker Hall
- Robin Thomas
- Kathryn Morris
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Contender about?
- A principled senator fights to survive a vice-presidential confirmation campaign weaponized by sexual scandal and partisan ambition.
- What is The Contender like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Contender as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Contender violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Contender as mild.
- What did critics think of The Contender?
- Critics broadly found the film gripping and entertaining, with strong performances and a solid screenplay, while some viewed its politics as obvious, verbose, or overly partisan.
- Which films are like The Contender?
- Films with a similar feel include Primary Colors, Wag the Dog, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and The Manchurian Candidate.
- How long is The Contender?
- The Contender runs 126 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Contender?
- In United States, The Contender is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
