The Game

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2:26

The Game

R

1997

2h 8m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is a successful banker who keeps mostly to himself. When his estranged brother Conrad (Sean Penn) returns on his birthday with an odd gift -- participation in a personalized, real-life game -- Nicholas reluctantly accepts. Initially harmless, the game grows increasingly personal, and Orton begins to fear for his life as he eludes agents from the mysterious game's organizers. With no one left to trust and his money gone, Orton must find answers for himself.

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Critics Consensus

The ending could use a little work but this is otherwise another sterling example of David Fincher's iron grip on atmosphere and storytelling.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

06/07/2021

4/5

It looks stunning, with every shadowy scene seemingly dipped in ink and some rapid-fire edits balanced by more experimental touches (super slow-mo squash, anyone?).

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

07/27/2020

The more we invest in Nicholas' bank of experiences, the more we display our willing complicity with, even subservience to, a system that lets cocooned elites merely play games (on an urban, even international scale)

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David Ansen

Newsweek

02/28/2018

The rational side of my brain can pick this movie apart until all that's left is incoherent threads. The movie-mad side, happy to lose control, had a hell of a good time.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Feb 1

4/5

…this is a far better movie than say The Killer, and better than director David Fincher thinks. If they’d kept the ending, and upped the social commentary within a bit more pointed critique of Van Orton’s lifestyle, this could have been a classic…

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Quentin Falk

Sunday Mirror (UK)

12/18/2024

4/5

The plot develops into a nerve-tingling thriller of bluff and double bluff set in San Francisco.

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Erick Estrada

Cinegarage

04/26/2023

One of Fincher's best. [Full review in Spanish]

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Michael F

@MikeF964 2d

Saw this in the theatre nearly 30 years ago. Loved it. Fun and suspenseful storytelling. It’s all in the ending…

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bruce F

@bruce999 Aug 4

interesting and fun. worthwhile good storytelling and acting... it will make you think.

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Cos D

@CosMovies Jul 27

It’s a masterpiece- a spiritual journey of awakening.

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David N

@RT00383322 Jul 27

This is the most annoying garbage of a movie I've ever seen (especially the ending). I wish I'd never seen it.

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Aiden E

@RT13770629 Jul 12

much happier ending than i expected but still a great film with a solid twist

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Frans B

@FransB Jun 30

Brilliant! David Fincher surely has the ability to set atmosphere in a steel trap. Very well written and brought to screen. Good cinematography and visually stunning. Whole cast excels in character, Michael Douglas in particular, as if this role was written specifically for him. Lots of action, confusion, mind bending, cerebral, surreal, bonkers at times, drama, suspense, riveting, intrigue and emotion. Entertaining and memorable

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David Fincher

Director

Michael Douglas

Nicholas Van Orton

Sean Penn

Conrad Van Orton

Deborah Kara Unger

Christine

James Rebhorn

Jim Feingold

Peter Donat

Samuel Sutherland

The Game: Official Clip - Happy Birthday, Nicky

2:59

The Game: Official Clip - Back from the Dead

2:54

The Game: Official Clip - He's Got a Gun

2:24

The Game: Official Clip - Deadly Cab Ride

3:00

The Game: Official Clip - You're With Them

2:52

The Game: Official Clip - She's In On It

2:42

The Game: Official Clip - Bad Waitress

2:11

The Game: Official Clip - A Profound Life Experience

2:53

The Game: Official Clip - The Game Begins

2:56

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The Game: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is a successful banker who keeps mostly to himself. When his estranged brother Conrad (Sean Penn) returns on his birthday with an odd gift -- participation in a personalized, real-life game -- Nicholas reluctantly accepts. Initially harmless, the game grows increasingly personal, and Orton begins to fear for his life as he eludes agents from the mysterious game's organizers. With no one left to trust and his money gone, Orton must find answers for himself.

Director: David Fincher
Producer: Steve Golin, Ceán Chaffin
Screenwriter: Michael Ferris, John D. Brancato
Production Co: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $48.3M
Runtime: 2h 8m
Sound Mix: Surround

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