After a wealthy San Francisco banker is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, his life is turned upside down as he begins to question if it might really be a concealed co... Read allAfter a wealthy San Francisco banker is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, his life is turned upside down as he begins to question if it might really be a concealed conspiracy to destroy him.After a wealthy San Francisco banker is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, his life is turned upside down as he begins to question if it might really be a concealed conspiracy to destroy him.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDavid Fincher originally planned to make The Game before Se7en (1995). But once Brad Pitt became available for the latter, Fincher shelved this film until Se7en (1995)'s filming was done.
- GoofsAt the airport, Nicholas gets ink on his shirt. When trying to clean it, it's a different shirt.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits shatter in the form of jigsaw puzzle pieces in reference to the film's title.
- Alternate versionsThe Blu ray has a deleted ending.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Green Fog (2017)
- SoundtracksHappy Birthday to You
Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill
Featured review
Twists upon twists, amazing filming, stunning acting, and a preposterous end
The Game (1997)
The steely intensity of Michael Douglas comes to play once again here in a role where that determination keeps getting waylaid by the mixed-up birthday present he's been handed, somewhat against his will.
Or against his better judgement, at first, because he does sign off on playing "The Game," which is an experience with a bow. That is, without any good clues about who the players are or why it's quite happening, except that his birthday has come and gone, events begin to happen around him that are inexplicable. And that he can't ignore.
Intensity rules. Douglas, playing the obscenely wealthy Nicholas Van Orton, gets led further and further into the madness and crime and murder of this huge huge charade. Or so it seems.
In a manner the director, David Fincher, is cozy with, reality bends but psychology seems to be solid. That is, you are secure, somehow, in the main actor's head as the world distorts. The main example is of course "The Fight Club," the distortions are almost literal in the more ordinary "Panic Room," and the world is somewhat friendlier in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Yes, these are all Fincher films (as is the brand new American version "Dragon Tattoo" flick and the riveting "Se7en").
The production and the shooting and editing in particular are all first rate, classic Fincher. Douglas plays his part with conviction and you end up not quite sympathizing with him (he's a spoiled jerk even as his world evaporates) but you certainly are in his shoes, wondering what is going on. It's crazy and exciting and certainly baffling for a viewer--which is part of the game, actually. The viewer is another layer in the layers of perceivable reality.
And then it just goes too far. In a way, the film is preposterous from the start, but yet you go along with the idea because very rich people have very unusual lives, and maybe this kind of mind-trip birthday present with lots of people participating could happen. Money moves mountains. But when things get almost comically absurd, when the twists of identity and loyalty keep happening, you want to just say, walk away. Get a grip. Refuse to play, or maybe (at least) refuse to believe things like this are possible.
This is where Michael Douglas is perfect, and maybe does what few actors could pull off. Because as it gets insane, his character toughs it out. He's the type to take a challenge, to get extreme, to be risky, to protect his self-interests without surrender.
In some ways it's a great movie, so watch it as if it'll never let you go. And when it's just too much, be glad you went along for as long as you did. And enjoy the rest of the show for its theatrics. It remains really well made all through.
The steely intensity of Michael Douglas comes to play once again here in a role where that determination keeps getting waylaid by the mixed-up birthday present he's been handed, somewhat against his will.
Or against his better judgement, at first, because he does sign off on playing "The Game," which is an experience with a bow. That is, without any good clues about who the players are or why it's quite happening, except that his birthday has come and gone, events begin to happen around him that are inexplicable. And that he can't ignore.
Intensity rules. Douglas, playing the obscenely wealthy Nicholas Van Orton, gets led further and further into the madness and crime and murder of this huge huge charade. Or so it seems.
In a manner the director, David Fincher, is cozy with, reality bends but psychology seems to be solid. That is, you are secure, somehow, in the main actor's head as the world distorts. The main example is of course "The Fight Club," the distortions are almost literal in the more ordinary "Panic Room," and the world is somewhat friendlier in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Yes, these are all Fincher films (as is the brand new American version "Dragon Tattoo" flick and the riveting "Se7en").
The production and the shooting and editing in particular are all first rate, classic Fincher. Douglas plays his part with conviction and you end up not quite sympathizing with him (he's a spoiled jerk even as his world evaporates) but you certainly are in his shoes, wondering what is going on. It's crazy and exciting and certainly baffling for a viewer--which is part of the game, actually. The viewer is another layer in the layers of perceivable reality.
And then it just goes too far. In a way, the film is preposterous from the start, but yet you go along with the idea because very rich people have very unusual lives, and maybe this kind of mind-trip birthday present with lots of people participating could happen. Money moves mountains. But when things get almost comically absurd, when the twists of identity and loyalty keep happening, you want to just say, walk away. Get a grip. Refuse to play, or maybe (at least) refuse to believe things like this are possible.
This is where Michael Douglas is perfect, and maybe does what few actors could pull off. Because as it gets insane, his character toughs it out. He's the type to take a challenge, to get extreme, to be risky, to protect his self-interests without surrender.
In some ways it's a great movie, so watch it as if it'll never let you go. And when it's just too much, be glad you went along for as long as you did. And enjoy the rest of the show for its theatrics. It remains really well made all through.
- secondtake
- Dec 7, 2011
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- El juego
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $50,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $48,323,648
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,337,029
- Sep 14, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $109,423,648
- Runtime2 hours 9 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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