Should I Check This Out - The Game (1997)

Director, David Fincher, is known for making many great films that include Fight Club, Se7en and The Social Network, but one film that always seems to be forgotten is his 1997 mystery drama, The Game. Rightly or wrongly for being missed, I check out the film that follows wealthy investment banker Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) who receives a strange birthday present from his somewhat unstable brother, Conrad (Sean Penn). From here, Van Orton finds his life starting to spin out of control and a conspiracy starts to form.

Right off the bat I will say that this is a very interesting film, that keeps you guessing, were it not for a story that has been done and spoofed before, most notably in The Simpsons. That said, I won't spoil the surprise, and even if you are familiar with the story, there are still plenty of twists and turns to keep you invested.

What makes The Game so engaging is that it takes the story of a man who finds his world changing for the worse and he has to make sense of what's happening. Other examples of this include Tony Scott's Enemy of the State, where Will Smith had his entire life turned upside-down when government agents pursue him for evidence that he posses only through coincidence. And throughout most of it, this packs the Fincher tone as seen in his other works; most notably his dark colour scheme and sharp cinematography, which always impresses.

Forming the basis for the story, Douglas gives a great performance as man who has everything but who suffers from a traumatic childhood event, as brilliantly displayed in the opening credits. Penn is also great in a smaller role, where we are now used to seeing him take centre stage.

Maybe the reason for this enjoyable film to have been overshadowed by Fincher's other works is that it's not quite as gritty as it might first appear. Released after the grizzly Se7en but before the brutal Fight Club, this takes a different approach and it's good, but a step away from some of the director's harder works. And like with some of my other reviews, this also features an ending that might not be for everyone; some will enjoy it, but many have argued that it takes something away from the overall film.

For the most part, Fincher succeeds in creating an engaging mystery, and maintains the atmosphere and suspense almost all the way through the 129 minute running-time without making me stop to check the time. While the ending isn't perfect, what comes before is great fun to watch.