Plot: What’s it about?
It’s been three weeks since the Vice-president of the United States has died, and even though they don’t ever mention how or why, it’s time to replace him. At the top of a very short list is Governor Jack Hathaway (William Petersen). Hathaway is a Democrat, liked by all and it wouldn’t surprise anyone in the least for him to get the nomination for the second highest office in the United States. Hathaway, while on vacation fishing, witnesses a car swerve off a bridge and plunge into the water only a few feet in front of him. Without hesitation, he dives into the water trying to save the woman drowning. However, it does happen that the woman drowns and Hataway, though praised for his efforts, is somewhat of a failure. Though set in modern times, and references to former President Clinton are existent, the characters of The Contender are fictitious. The subject matter, though, is not. President Jackson Evans (Jeff Bridges) has about 18 months left in his second term in office (sound familiar?). With the death of the Vice-president, he must seek out a new one. Hathaway is thought to be the prime candidate, but Evans nixes the idea and goes with a Senator from Ohio by the name of Laine Hanson (Joan Allen). We all know that a woman has never held the office of Vice-president and there are quite a few people out there (and some in Congress) who will never let that happen.
Laine Hanson, aside from the fact that she’s female, is the perfect choice for the job. She used to be a member of the opposite political party, but has since changed sides as she feels that it’s in her best interest. Some view this as being a “traitor”, but lest we forget…everyone is on the same side–or are they? Almost immediately, allegations are brought up for her behavior in college. As a Freshman in college, Laine was told to have sex with two members of her sorority’s brother fraternity. Pictures are thrown around of the alleged “gang bang” that happened, and it’s only one of the bridges that she must cross in order to get the nomination for the job she wants. The main plot centers around Hanson and her unwillingness to admit or deny the activities that happened during her college years. We’ve become so used to people denying stories, that it’s hard to believe that she sticks to her guns and does nothing to discredit her past. A committee is formed to decide weather or not she is the right person for the job. Going over her past with a fine tooth comb, it’s also discovered that she is an atheist, though protected under the Constitution, it’s still looked on as another negative mark. The counsel, led by Senator Shelly Runyon (Gary Oldman), is set out to make Hanson look bad and not get the nomination. Even with the help of a young Representative from Delaware (Christian Slater), the deck is stacked against Hanson.
Once you get past the similarities of the events that have happened in the “real world”, it’s hard to decide what the best choice would do. The government tends to decide who should do what and where and that the masses of citizens are just some mindless zombies who react to what our elected officials tell them to do. At the very heart of The Contender is the question of ethics and morals. A point is made that if Hanson were a man, there would be no problem as to her past sexual exploits. A point which is made by Hanson “…you wouldn’t want a woman with her finger on the button who isn’t getting laid…”. Enough said, I suppose. The real story is that these people are real, we’re constantly led to believe that in the movies that everyone is perfect, but people can and do mess up (take a look at our former President, for example). Our elected officials are far from perfect, as is our system, but it’s show in this film that we’re all trying to do the right thing. Part of the excellence of The Contender is the fact that the performances are so genuine. Joan Allen and Jeff Bridges are both up for Academy Awards for their respective parts, and Gary Oldman turns in another fine performance (anyone other than me forget that he’s British?). Overlooked at the box office, it’s a pleasure to see two fine actors recognized for their work in this film. The Contender is a movie that will provoke you to think as it entertains you…Recommended.
Video: How does it look?
The Contender is presented in it’s original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and being a Dreamworks title, it’s enhanced for 16:9 TV’s. Dreamworks has constantly put out some of the best-looking titles around and this is no exception. For the most part, the image is clean and clear throughout. Some scenes, most taking place outside, do have a bit of a sharper edge to them, while a lot of the indoor shots seem to have a “warmer” feel to them that softens the edges a bit. There are several stock photography shots of Washington that have a bit of grain to them (probably because they’ve been used a million times), but it doesn’t detract from the image at all. Though not a perfect transfer, it’s still proof that new movies look better going onto DVD than some of the older “remastered” titles. Black levels seem to be right on track and edge enhancement is minimal. Chalk up another fine transfer for the Dreamworks DVD team!
Audio: How does it sound?
Like many other Dreamworks titles, this new release includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 track and a DTs Surround mix. It’s nice to see that titles that aren’t “audio heavy” do get the benefit of two audio formats. While this movie is essentially a dialogue-driven movie, it has a few moments for the soundtracks to shine. I listened to the DTs mix in the initial viewing and was satisfied with the way it sounded. A helicopter taking off and the car crash at the beginning are the only two moments where I really recognized the sound, but no matter which track you choose, you’ll be content.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Though not labeled as a Special Edition, Dreamworks has included some nice additions that should keep you busy for a few hours. First up is the audio commentary by Writer and Director Rod Laurie. Laurie is a self-confessed “Political Junkie” and it’s transcended in his commentary. Joan Allen also participates on the track, but it’s Laurie who wrote and directed the movie, who does most of the talking. I have to admit that I was entertained by the commentary, more and more director’s are doing these tracks and with someone who knows and loves the subject matter such as Laurie, it’s a nice feature of the disc. A twenty-minute HBO First Look featurette is also included that has some interviews with the cast (Bridges, Allen, Oldman and Christian Slater) as well as some behind the scenes material. Essentially if you’ve ever seen one of these Featurettes (Universal and Columbia/Tristar have them on a lot of their discs), then this is more of the same. Another welcome addition to this disc. The last of the “major features” are the deleted scenes. I found the deleted scenes to be informative, but I can see why they were left out of the final cut. The movie was just the right length, and to see these added back into the movie would have given it that “lagging” feeling. Also included are some production notes, cast BIOS that have every cast member and everyone who worked on the movie (that’s a lot of cast BIOS) and a theatrical trailer to boot. Overall, a nice disc with great audio and video qualities and some great extras. Another solid effort by Dreamworks.
