director david fincher has such an eye for detail which is very rare in hollywood these days ( terry gilliam comes to mind as another one ) .
film is one of the best art forms because not only can you tell a story , but you can use the camera to capture the smallest detail and have it mean something .
but most directors seem to go for action with the slightest ounce of a story .
so whenever a director uses the camera to its fullest potential , the film almost automatically deserves a good review .
and when they add a fascinating story to it , you have nearly perfect entertainment .
fincher 's the game is no exception to this .
the game is one of the most interesting and complex films to come out of hollywood in a long time .
fincher has n't made a film since " seven , " his box office and critical hit which defied expectations and became one of the best movies ever .
so it is about time he made another film .
and what a ride it is .
the game is n't quite as powerful as " seven , " but in some ways it is better .
overall , the game could have used a little more clarity , or a little more uncertainty .
it walks a line of insanity and reality , but it never goes either way until the very end .
the outcome is satisfying enough for the preceding events , and it makes a lot of sense once everything is set straight .
unfortunately , unlike " the usual suspects , " we are never given enough information to figure out for ourselves what is happening , whether it be true or false .
however , this also gives the film a frightening aspect which the game uses to the fullest extent .
the game is told completely from its main character 's point of view .
nicholas van orton ( michael douglas ) is a high - strung and isolated businessman .
he lives alone in his giant mansion , divorced from his wife elizabeth , and is celebrating his 48th birthday ; the same age at which his father committed suicide at , in the same mansion .
for his 48th birthday , conrad ( sean penn ) , the rebel of the family , gives nicholas a gift certificate to crs : consumer recreation services .
"
it will make your life fun again , " his brother promises .
as skeptical as nicholas is , he is somewhat intrigued , and annoyed by the lack of information -- something this businessman hates .
seeing a billboard in an office , he decides to visit the mysterious company .
jim feingold ( james rebhorn ) greets nicholas and guides him through the sign - up process , which consists of psych - tests , physicals , emotional responses , and other mind games .
"
each game is suited to each person 's emotional and psychological needs , " explains feingold .
one day , nicholas gets a call from crs and they explain that he failed the tests .
even more intrigued and now somewhat angered at the time he spent signing up , he starts asking around to see what people can tell him about the company .
what he does n't realize is that the game has already begun .
the phone call is just the first of many strange events to be thrown nicholas ' way .
how he finds out that he is involved has to be witnessed because it is amusing and fun and visually impressive .
the detail involved in fincher 's shots is incredible and almost requires a second viewing just to appreciate the effort that went into them .
with " seven , " fincher had almost every single shot mean something .
he also has the unique ability to make you look at exactly what he wants you to .
compared to " seven , " though , the game is light and comical .
because of this film 's sense of humor and self - awareness , nothing can be taken quite seriously .
so do n't try to make much sense of what goes on in the game , because it does n't want you to .
what does make sense is the final revelation -- when everything becomes apparent and clear .
if taken as it is , the game 's ending makes complete sense .
but if you try and critique every minute detail , then you get yourself into plot holes and incredibility .
perhaps that is the reason i docked the film .
while trying to remain realistic and plausible , the plot is too unbelievable to create any real tension on screen .
we do n't really care if douglas ' character lives or not because it is n't believable .
the ending requires you to have believed anything that has happened previously , but if you suspend disbelief and take the film as it is , you can accept the game as an emotionally and psycholically disturbing thriller .
michael douglas gives a terrific performance as nicholas .
douglas has played lonely businessmen before , but here he adds another level to his performance .
his character , who is normally level - headed and relies on facts , is forced to trust nobody .
can he believe the waitress he bumped into ?
what about his brother who got him involved in the game in the first place ?
douglas portrays this aspect of his character extremely well , and gives one of his best performances ( even better than his " falling down " persona ) .
the supporting cast is essential in this film , and casting was critical .
sean penn is always good , and he gives yet another credible performance as douglas ' brother .
deborah kara unger ( from " crash " ) is the waitress he bumps into , and her performance is extremely good
.
in fact , she almost steals the film from douglas .
james rebhorn portrays his character very well , and adds some confusion and desparation to douglas ' predicament .
another good performance comes from armin mueller - stahl ( from " shine " ) as the book editor .
but considering that douglas is in every single scene of the game , he not only commands this cast , but makes this distant and lonely character come to colorful life .
the game is rated r for language , violence , some gore , and some nudity and drugs .
what is essential for this film to work is the writing .
john brancato and michael ferris have woven a confusing and compelling screenplay with witty dialogue , and some very funny moments .
this screenplay will probably get an oscar nomination for best original screenplay because it does almost exactly the same thing the usual suspects ' did .
however , the visuals of the game are enough to make the viewer enjoy the vexing plot .
and if you can get yourself to believe everything occuring on the screen , you will be thoroughly entertained by one of this year 's best films .
Output: P