The Game (1997)

After a wealthy banker is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, his life is turned upside down when he becomes unable to distinguish between the game and reality.

Director:

David Fincher

Writers:

John Brancato, Michael Ferris

Stars:

Michael Douglas, Deborah Kara Unger, Sean Penn

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Douglas	...	Nicholas Van Orton
Sean Penn	...	Conrad
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Christine
James Rebhorn	...	Jim Feingold
Peter Donat	...	Samuel Sutherland
Carroll Baker	...	Ilsa
Anna Katarina	...	Elizabeth
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Anson Baer
Charles Martinet	...	Nicholas' Father
Scott Hunter McGuire	...	Young Nicholas
Florentine Mocanu	...	Nicholas' Mother
Elizabeth Dennehy	...	Maria
Caroline Barclay	...	Maggie
Daniel Schorr	...	Daniel Schorr
John Aprea	...	Power Executive

Storyline

Nicholas Van Orton is a very wealthy San Francisco banker, but he is an absolute loner, even spending his birthday alone. In the year of his 48th birthday (the age his father committed suicide) his brother Conrad, who has gone long ago and surrendered to addictions of all kinds, suddenly returns and gives Nicholas a card giving him entry to unusual entertainment provided by something called Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Giving in to curiosity, Nicholas visits CRS and all kinds of weird and bad things start to happen to him.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | game | puzzlement | manipulation | falling from height | 

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Taglines:

John 9;25: "I was blind, but now I see."

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, and for some violence and sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Cantonese German

Release Date:

12 September 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Igra

Filming Locations:

Tunnel Top Lounge and Bar - 601 Bush Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,337,029, 14 September 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$48,323,648

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$109,423,648

Company Credits

Production Co:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment,Propaganda Films,A&B Producoes, Lda.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Sean Penn, Michael Douglas and Spike Jonze; and two Oscar nominees: Armin Mueller-Stahl and Carroll Baker.

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Goofs

Christine's lips are not moving when she delivers one of her lines as she discusses the possible consequences of the "Game" with Nicholas in the car.

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Quotes

Nicholas: What's that?
Conrad: [signs document] This... is... the bill.
Nicholas: Do you want to split it?
Conrad: [exhales] Oh God yes! I'll take some of that...
[shows Nicholas enormous number at bottom of receipt]
Nicholas: [shocked look] Oh my God...

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits shatter in the form of jigsaw puzzle pieces in Reference to the Film's title.

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Connections

Referenced in A Beautiful Mind (2001)

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Soundtracks

Clair De Lune
Written by Claude Debussy
Performed by Chet Swiatkowsky (as Chet Swaitkowski)

User Reviews

As gripping as it gets.

Whether you love it or hate it, The Game definitely will not bore you. By far the most engrossing movie I've ever watched. I saw this on the big screen and throughout most of this masterpiece I kept asking myself, "where is this movie going?" For 128 spirited minutes The Game takes your mind and twists it ruthlessly, contorting it in any way it so desires. Michael Douglas is the perfect actor for this role, he played it flawlessly. I love this movie, it's definitely one of my personal favorites.