THE GAME (1997)
Updated: Dec 12, 2022
An Intense Psychological Thriller that Mostly Works
Grade: B+
**Possible Spoiler Alert!!**
David Fincher is known for directing movies that delve into either psychological suspense (i.e. Seven [1995] or Panic Room [2002]) or drama (i.e. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [2008] or The Social Network [2010]). The Game, starring Michael Douglas, falls squarely in the former category, and for the most part it works very well, supplying viewers with a twisting, turning story that keeps them guessing. The film only stumbles with the final twist and the reaction to it by the protagonist.
In The Game, Douglas plays a wealthy San Francisco investment banker and divorcee named Nicolas Van Orton, who is still reeling from a terrible childhood tragedy. On his birthday, he is visited by his recovering drug addict brother Conrad (Sean Penn), who gives him a note to a company called Consumer Recreation Services (CRS) who promise to supply Nicolas with “whatever’s lacking” by providing him with a game of unknown nature. Strange things start to happen to Nick when the “Game” begins, and they get more intense and horrific as time passes. Soon he is plunged into a maddening nightmare which forces him to question everything around him and wonder who he can trust.
The Game piles incident upon incident against its hapless main character. He is taken on a wild taxi ride to the Bay, is told he was at a place where he wasn’t, finds drugs and smutty photos in said location, and wakes up in a graveyard somewhere in Mexico. Everywhere he goes seems to have a connection to the Game, and with each disaster he becomes more and more hysterical and desperate. Nick and the viewer are forced to contemplate a thousand questions. What is the nature and purpose of the Game? Who all is in on it? Two people say they are glad to have experienced it, but are they just part of the scheme? What is even happening? Is it in fact harmless, or is Nick in actual danger? Everything becomes uncertain as these and other questions change from one minute to the next, creating an air of paranoia and terror, and we are right there with Nick as he tries to figure it out.
But when the dust settles and the answers come, they are somewhat disappointing. The revelation is not really a cop-out, but it is unnecessarily cruel. Apparently, a big lesson is supposed to have been learned, but the torment suffered by Nick throughout the movie makes it look like the meanest prank of all time. The ensuing emotional reaction by him seems totally unrealistic when one considers what he went through, and anyone else would probably have at least some contempt for the ones responsible. How viewers would react to this ultimately depends on them, but it is at this point that Nick’s perspective and that of the audience would likely diverge; he feels one thing, the audience might feel another.
Despite this flaw, The Game is still a well-made thriller, sporting intriguing story developments, a great cast, and alarming incidents. It came two years after Fincher’s previous hit, Seven, and here he once again proves to be a master of the subgenre. He and his crew do an amazing job of crafting an exciting story that keeps people on the edge of their seats. It may not be his most famous work, but it is still a must-watch for people who love multi-layered mysteries. Just beware the final twist.
Director: David Fincher
Producers: Steve Golin, Cean Chaffin
Screenplay: John Brancato, Michael Ferris
Cast: Michael Douglas (Nicholas van Orton), Sean Penn (Conrad van Orton), James Rebhorn (Jim Feingold), Deborah Kara Unger (Christine/Claire), Peter Donat (Samuel Sutherland), Carroll Baker (Ilsa)
Rated: R (for language, and for some violence and sexuality)
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