The Contender Page #2

Synopsis: A political thriller about Laine Hanson, a senator who is nominated to become Vice President following the death of the previous office holder. During the confirmation process, Laine is the victim of a vicious attack on her personal life in which stories of sexual deviancy are spread. She is torn as to whether she should fight back, or stick to her high principles and refuse to comment on the allegations.
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director(s): Rod Lurie
Production: Dreamworks Distribution
  Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 20 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.0
Metacritic:
59
Rotten Tomatoes:
76%
R
Year:
2000
126 min
$16,120,906
Website
786 Views


Mr. President,

Jerry's here.

That was as rough as it comes.

Never seen anybody look so defeated.

- Yeah, poor son of a b*tch.

- Mr. President?

Saw the governor out there. Looks like

he had the sh*t kicked out of him.

If I have any more caffeine,

I'll be voting for the flat tax.

I got this tea

from the Greek ambassador.

Go on, sit. Never thought of Greece

as a tea-producing country...

but, Jesus Christ,

if this isn't the tea to end all teas.

Well, looks like Jack Hathaway's

had a shitty week.

So Hathaway, he's out?

That's solid?

That leaves us

with Malloy or Hanson.

It's gotta be Hanson.

Malloy's out.

- Now, Mr. President, I think you know...

- It's Hanson.

You know how I feel. Hanson may have

turncoated our way, but a turncoat's a turncoat.

We've had a vacancy for three weeks. The

nation's moved from mourning to anxiety.

I need a vice president. And I need a

person who's gonna reflect my politics.

- Fill it with Frank Malloy.

- No, no. Malloy's got an inflammation of ambition.

He won't be doing his job. He'll be preparing

to do mine. He's not even my second choice.

If it doesn't work with Hanson,

we're gonna go back to Hathaway.

- Do you think Hanson's a team player?

- Senator Hanson is gonna work.

And it's the job of you two to make sure

that confirmation gets through.

- I need to know I can count on you.

- Of course you can.

The president and I discussed several

issues, including the vice presidency.

- Did the president offer you the position?

- I asked him to withdraw my name.

Don't answer it, please.

I gotta get it.

It's the red line.

No, no, no, no.

Hanson here.

Yeah, of course I'll hold.

Shh. Quiet.

Hello, sir!

I'm great, sir, thank you. Yes.

- As a matter of fact, we're watching him

on C-SPAN now. - No names were discussed.

Yes, she is.

One second, sir.

It's the president.

He wants to talk to you.

You wanna speak to him?

Hello, sir.

This is Senator Hanson speaking.

Oh, Christ.

That's what the prick said to you?

"We can't have another Chappaquiddick. "

No, not Evans. Newman said

the thing about Chappaquiddick.

What the f***

is that supposed to mean?

That doesn't even make

any sense, Jack.

You weren't some drunk

who drove your car...

off a bridge and abandoned the whore

you were f***ing to die.

That's what I told them.

Not in those words.

This is the second time

they f***ed us over.

- Did he say who he was going with?

- No.

- It's gonna be Malloy. F***ing Frank Malloy.

- That's what I'm hearing.

Jack, he isn't worthy of...

- This isn't happening to me.

- You can go.

You're gonna take it up the ass. Want to

bend over and make their job a little easier?

You understand

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Rod Lurie

Rod Lurie (born May 15, 1962) is an Israeli-American director, screenwriter and former film critic. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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