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The Game

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 up to curiosity, Nicholas visits CRS and all kinds of weird and bad things start to happen to him.

Starring: Michael Douglas, Sean Penn
Directed by: David Fincher
Runtime: 2 hours 9 minutes
Release year: 1997
Studio: Universal Studios

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US Theatrical Release Date: September 11, 1997
MPAA: Rated R for language, and for some violence and sexuality
Production Company: Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Propaganda Films, A&B Producoes, Lda.
USA Box Office: $ 48 Million
Worldwide Box Office: $ 109 Million
Filming Locations: 1 Bush Street, San Francisco, California, USA | 301 Howard Street, San Francisco, California, USA | Bank of America Building - 555 California Street, San Francisco, California, USA | Bay Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA | City Club - 155 Sansome Street, San Francisco, California, USA | Filoli Estate - 86 Cañada Road, Woodside, California, USA | Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, California, USA | Harrison Street, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, California, USA | Johnie's Broiler - 7447 Firestone Blvd., Downey, California, USA | Mason Street & California Street, Nob Hill, San Francisco, California, USA | Merchant Exchange Building - 465 California Street, San Francisco, California, USA | Mexicali, Baja California Norte, Mexico | Palo Alto, California, USA | Presidio, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, California, USA | Ritz-Carlton Hotel - 600 Stockton Street, San Francisco, California, USA | San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California, USA | San Francisco, California, USA | Sheraton Palace - 639 Market Street, San Francisco, California, USA | Stockton Tunnel Southern Approach Overhang, Bush Street & Stockton Street, Downtown, San Francisco, California, USA | Washington Street & Waverly Place, Chinatown, San Francisco, California, USA

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 114 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent Thriller May 22, 2003

By Lonnie E. Holder HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

What happens when you are a powerful multi-millionaire and have everything you ever wanted? While you and I might think this situation is highly desirable, for Nicholas Van Orton, played by Michael Douglas, it is very boring. In fact, you might say that Nicholas is miserable. However, Nicholas' brother Conrad Van Orton, played by Sean Penn, has bought Nicholas a gift for his 48th birthday, an invitation to play "The Game".

From this point forward the movie drags for what seems forever. I was beginning to regret watching this movie. Looking back, though, I now know that this beginning helps us to more fully understand how boring and awful Nicholas' life is, and further provides an excellent contrast with what happens later in the movie.

Nicholas is in a very upscale restaurant when a waitress (Deborah Unger as Christine) spills wine on his shirt. Christine is fired by the restaurant manager and leaves, very upset. Before you can say white rabbit, a waiter rushes by Nicholas' table and drops off a note that tells Nicholas' to follow the girl. Prepare for the roller coaster ride.

Within moments Nicholas finds himself involved with an apparently dying man, then just as quickly he finds he is being chased by the police, and police dogs, and things just get worse and worse. The list of things to which Nicholas is subjected is too long and would leave you with no surprises.

Nicholas tries to figure out how to make all the action and events to which he is being subjected stop. Nicholas can't handle the loss of control. Further, the chaos of his experiences seems to follow no pattern or order. Eventually Nicholas gets back to where he thinks it all began for a showdown with the characters that he has discovered are actors. The ending had me stunned and amazed. You'll have to watch for yourself.

There are several lapses in credibility, but unless you are an obsessive control freak (sort of like Nicholas Van Orton, for instance) you'll likely consider the lapses minor. This movie ultimately is an intelligent thriller that relies on action only when necessary to heighten Nicholas' fears and to pull him deeper into what begins to seem like a deeply nefarious conspiracy. After watching, this movie became one of my favorites, and I've now seen it several times.

The most difficult part of this movie is the relatively slow first part. However, have patience; what you learn in the first part helps you to understand Nicholas and to be drawn more fully into his situation. Sympathy with Nicholas and his situation is highly desirable to fully appreciate the end of the movie. I was sympathetic, and enjoyed this movie. 5 stars for an intelligent thriller that relies on intelligent plot versus guns, fast cars and special effects.

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42 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars left my friends and i awake thinking March 16, 2000

By jrjungle7@hotmail.com

Format:VHS Tape

The Game was directed by Fight Club director David Fincher and in many ways it prepares the viewer for the twists and turns of Fight Club. Michael Douglas as control junky investment banker Nicholas Van Orton is given an invitation to "the game" by his younger brother Conrad (Sean Penn). Before Van Orton knows it the game has started and it takes him on journey where he is in the dark so to speak and he never really gets out of it until it is over. Other reviews have said that it has no sense of humor, this movie doesn't need one. it's mysterious and intellectual strength is more than enough to keep most people fixed to it. Others have said that the ending is anticlimactic. If one cannot appreciate the ending of this movie, they haven't been paying attention. If you want a movie that makes you think, this movie is for you. my friends and i started it sometime after midnight a couple years ago and we didn't sleep for an hour after it was done because it made us think that much. the movie buff will not be disappointed.

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28 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprise, surprise! A great thriller! October 13, 2000

By scherf.com

Format:DVD

Once in a while you come across a great thriller. To accomplish this you have to have a great story line, superb acting and cinematography, a generous budget and an excellent styling consultant so that everything's just perfect. And The Game has all these aspects. A wealthy financier (Michael Douglas) who has apparently everything and is bored with life gets a surprise birthday gift from his brother (Sean Penn): the participation in a very interesting and intense game. It is one of these movies that is unpredictable for the most part with action scenes that will take your breath away. The ending is unique and an unpredictable surprise and it gives the movie the final edge to classify it as one of these rare top-rated thrillers.

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