Intense and insanely intriguing.

Rating: 9/10 (29 October 2018)

(P) Positives
(N) Negatives
(?) Other points/Neither positive or negative

(P) Densely and tightly plotted; slow burn to start, but rapidly picks up and doesn't stop
(P) Great acting across the board (with a handful of over-acted moments here and there e.g. Michael Douglas smashing his briefcase over a lawn chair was verging on laugh-out-loud material for me (Although, conversely, Douglas was the standout performance in the film - providing a range of emotion befitting of the evolution of a cold, emotionless businessman into a more considerate, kinder person after his experience in the Game taught him to not shut himself off emotionally like his father before him. In addition, Penn's breakdown performance comes a very close (and explosive) second))
(P) Expertly done cinematography with fluid camera movements and positioning
(P) Sheer variety of color and lighting, providing mood to scenes e.g. the dingy bar with its auburn and burgundy wood paneling, and the harsh lighting giving the actors darkly-shadowed/hooded eyes
(P) Clever and subtle use of changing aspect ratio to transition from the old format film footage of Douglas' early years into the modern day
(?) The ending, while very satisfying, was almost a bit too happy/perfect
(N) Music, while good, seemed a bit overused i.e. the piano track that was used repeatedly

Overall: A few issues here and there do little to dissuade 'The Game' from being a finely plotted and crafted film, with outstanding performances, fluid cinematography and a typical 'Fincheresque' attention to detail (even if you do need to significantly suspend your disbelief for the sake of a compelling story).