Scr/dir: Rod Lurie; w/ Joan Allen, Gary Oldman, Jeff Bridges
A conversation with Gary Oldman, followed by a screening of The Contender (pictured).
The nomination of U.S. senator Laine Hanson (Joan Allen) for vice president is jeopardized when a sex scandal from her past is revealed. In particular, she is opposed by Republican congressman Shelly Runyon (Gary Oldman), who will stop at nothing to discredit her. In spite of the compromised legislative system in which Runyon operates, he's fighting for his soul as much as Jackie Flannery battled for his. Runyon struggles with his own version of keeping hope alive—going toe-to-toe with an opposition party president (Jeff Bridges). Runyon is not just a villain—he draws attention to himself to stop what he believes is an evil of sorts. The way that Runyon continually leaves skin in the game presaged the performances that Oldman would offer in the new century, leading up to his weary-with-compromise Knight Templar George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which has netted him a well-deserved—and his first—Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Bing Theater | FAQs
$10 for the general public, $7 for LACMA members, seniors (62+), and students with valid ID |$5 for Film Independent, LACMA Film Club, and New York Times Film Club members. | Members of these groups will be required to show proof of membership when retrieving their tickets | Tickets: 323 857-6010 or purchase online.
