The Contender

The Contender is a 2000 American political drama film written and directed by Rod Lurie. It stars Gary Oldman, Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges and Christian Slater. The film focuses on a fictional United States president (played by Bridges) and the events surrounding his appointment of a new vice president (Allen). The film serves as a response to the Lewinsky scandal involving President Bill Clinton. It became the subject of controversy regarding alterations that displeased Oldman, who co-produced. The film enjoyed box office success in the US. The film also received two Academy Award nominations; Joan Allen was nominated for Best Actress and Jeff Bridges for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards.