The Game (thing)

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Running Time: 128 min

MPAA Rating: R

Directed............................. David Fincher

Screenplay........................ John Brancato
                                              Michael Ferris
                                              Larry Gross (uncredited)
                                              Andrew Kevin Walker (uncredited)

Cast
Michael Douglas............... Nicholas Van Orton
Sean Penn.......................... Conrad Van Orton
Deborah Unger.................. Christine
James Rebhorn................. Jim Feingold
Peter Donat........................ Samuel Sutherland
Armin Mueller-Stahl.......... Anson Baer

The Game is very consistent with the style of its director, David Fincher, well-known for his work on Se7en and Fight Club. The movie is dark and edgy and always very, very suspenseful. Fincher's skill at turning the screws and doing it with style is unparalleled. Also in keeping with his style of film-making, this is one of those movies where it's best not to blink if you want to keep up with the plot.

Michael Douglas reprises his typecast role as a cold, heartless corporate bigshot without a friend in the world, seemingly by his own choice. His name is Nicholas Van Orton, he's about to turn 47 and he's in serious danger of turning into his father. His father killed himself on his 47th birthday. His life is neat and tidy and bland and unexciting and he likes it that way.

Then his brother Conrad, portrayed brilliantly by Sean Penn, gives him the gift. It's certificate for a game. Conrad, the free-spirited flip side of Nicholas' dour coin, promises it will "make your life fun". Out of sheer boredom and any remaining sense of obligation Nicholas feels for his brother, he visits Consumer Recreation Services' offices and is poked and prodded for hours and then sent home.

Then the game begins and Nicholas discovers that it is much more than a simple game. Much more complicated and much more terrifying. Nicholas gets drawn into a web of conspiracy and murder and the movie rockets towards a stunning and brlliant ending.

The Game is an astoundingly good movie. It may not have been much of a stretch for Douglas to portray a stuck-up businessman, but he does it well. Sean Penn, in a much more human role than his usual work, is exceptionally good. The supporting cast is equally good, guiding Douglas' character through all the twists and turns of the brilliantly written plot. The original script of the movie was not what Fincher had envisioned when he set out to make the movie and asked for help from an old friend, screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker. Walker specializes in dark and twisting plots and is best known for penning Se7en, 8MM and Sleepy Hollow. After numerous rewrites, he was able to work the movie into the polished final product that was eventually released. The score was written by the masterful Howard Shore, who music never fails to prop the movie up in all the right spots and keep up with all the tension and mystery of this fast paced film.

Jodie Foster was actually lined up for the part of Christine, but was dropped from what she saw as a done deal. She sued Polygram and eventually settled out of court. Also interesting is a brief appearance by actor and director Spike Jonze as an EMT. Jonze and Fincher are good friends and Fincher made a cameo appearance in Jonze's Being John Malkovich.