The late 90's saw a run of films which deconstructed the idea that reality was an illusion; THE TRUMAN SHOW, THE MATRIX, DARK CITY all explored this theme in some way but David Fincher's 1997 THE GAME is the most paranoid of all of them. Michael Douglas is superb as affluent control freak Nicholas van Orton who finds himself involved in a conspiracy when brother Conrad gives him a gift certificate for the blandly-named Consumer Recreation Services promising a "profound life experience".
Some typically great Fincher filmatism coupled with the expert pacing provided by editor James Haywood and the saturated cinematography of Harris Savides, this is a gripping and intriguing thriller which relies on a constant stream of narrative invention to throw its audience off guard, sometimes establishing characters as unreliable and then challenging that view within the same scene. Yes the plot goes off the rails in terms of plausibility by the time we get to the unforgettable ending but does it really matter when a film can build so much mood and tension and subvert your expectations this well, even after having seen it a few times? Earns an extra star for somehow making me want the torture of a wealthy investment banker to stop.
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