The Game
Chad'z rating: ***1/2 (out of 4 = very good)
1997, R, 128 minutes [2 hours, 8 minutes]
[thriller]
starring: Michael Douglas (Nicholas Van Orton), Deborah Kara Unger (Christine), Sean Penn (Conrad Van Orton), James Rebhorn (Jim Feingold), written by John D. Brancato, Michael Ferris, Andrew Kevin Walker, produced by Cean Chaffin, Steve Golin, directed by David Fincher.
seen at The Glenwood Movieplex Cinemas September 25 at 7:20 p.m. with Jamie S.
Every thriller has those moments of revelations where the plot suddenly twists and we realize something was just an illusion and/or there's some kind of conspiracy going on. I think the idea behind "The Game" was to make an entire movie of those kinds of moments. The net result is a wholly original film that puts the "thrill" back in "thriller."
The film opens with a moody flashback shot with a Super 8 camera of cheery 1950s childhood images, but the montage ends with a disturbing, Gothic-like sequence. Another director might have went for a more realistic approach to this flashback and the film as a whole, but Fincher uses sheer mood to tell us all we really need to know.
The boy in the flashback was Nicholas Van Orton (Douglas), a rich San Francisco investment banker who's the epitome of middle-aged rich guys in the movies. He's the modern version of Ebeneezer Scrooge: cold, stern, selfish, and basically unhappy. It's his 48th birthday, and he's depressed because it's the same age his father was when he committed suicide. He's visited by his cocky brother Conrad (Penn) who gives him a gift certificate to CRS - Consumer Recreation Services. CRS is some kind of business-level, role-playing company that provides "whatever's missing in your life," or at least that's what CRS representative Jim Feingold (Rebhorn) tells Nicholas.
After enrolling in CRS, Nicholas finds strange things start happening to him, the kind of things that could only happen in psychological thrillers like this. His television starts talking to him, he finds keys and gadgets with "CRS" imprinted on them. Soon the occurrences become dangerous and it's clear Nicholas is wrapped up in some kind of massive conspiracy. But what does CRS want? We don't get an answer for a while, and the longer the delay, the more the suspense builds.
What's good about the film is the fact it's such an uncanny premise told in such a mainstream, commercial manner. Yes, we do get chase scenes and shoot-outs but not only are they exciting to watch, they're actually vital to the story!
The mid-section of the film is the best, full of situations that are far-fetched but completely believable at the time. The CRS conspiracy is so huge, not only does it toy with Nicholas's mind, but the viewer's as well. It's as if everything is a dream, but the script is so fluid it has a hypnotic effect. Douglas is perfect as a normal man trapped in extraordinary circumstances, one can't help but sympathize for him.
Special mention must be made to Deborah Kara Unger as the sexy waitress Christine who is somehow pulled into the fray. Of course it's the generic case of the man and woman stuck with each other against their will, but thankfully the two do not fall madly in love by the end.
There's many more important aspects to the plot and individual scenes worthy of attention, but I won't mention them for two reasons: 1) attempting to describe, let alone list them all would be an exercise in futility; 2) it would be an injustice to the film. In fact, the details are irrelevant because this is not a film concerned with plot, but a story that uses classic literary devices in a modern manner and it works.
The ending is shocking and brilliant. No further elaboration is necessary.
It's apparent from the get-go "The Game" was inspired by everything related to the genre: from comic books and pulp magazines, to the films of Alfred Hitchcock and the writings of Steven King. You almost never see films this resourceful.
Please visit Chad'z Movie Page @ http://members.aol.com/ChadPolenz - over 160 new and old films reviewed in depth, not just blind ratings and quick capsules. Also, check out The FIRST Shay Astar Web Page @ http://members.aol.com/ChadPolenz/ShayAstar.html
e-mail: ChadPolenz@aol.com (C) 1997 Chad Polenz
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