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+ Best Big Flop Movie of the Year + Best Thriller of the Year + Costliest Flop of the Year: 26.24 mil. $ range
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| Star Michael Douglas disintegrates in the shape of a puzzle on this enticing poster for David Fincher's The Game |
An arrogant investment banker has his 48th birthday, and he gets a very special gift from his convalescing younger brother; a gift certificate for a mysterious game. One that will change his life.
The Game is written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris (Primeval (2007), both) and directed by great Coloradoan filmmaker David Fincher (Alien 3 (1992))
Michael Douglas (Animal World (2018)) is terribly good (again) in this super-charged mystery thriller, which does rest on a rather fantastical premise, one that may be hard to buy for some, but which shouldn't hold things up, because here is a formidable suspense picture, a ride in the best sense of the word.
Fincher has staged it with extreme command of style and look, (including rocking cinematography by Harris Savides (Illuminata (1998))). From the cast James Rebhorn (Carlito's Way (1993)) is also worth picking out as a great hoax artist here. The Game is a dark major picture, which makes you wonder; can all of your actions actually be anticipated?
Related posts:
David Fincher: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - Fincher's Nordic noir is technically astute but overlong and redundant
The Social Network (2010) - Fincher's a-hole biopic leaves me cold (and more anti-Facebook than ever)
1997 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
Alien 3 (1992) or, The Monsters Go to Jail!
Watch a trailer for the film here
Cost: 70 mil. $
Box office: 109.4 mil. $
= Big flop (1.56 times its cost)
[The Game premiered 3 September (New York) and runs 128 minutes. The screenplay was a spec script acquisition, which was offered to Fincher on the backside of his success with Se7en (1995). Fincher has described what the film is about as "loss of control." Douglas was paid 20 mil. $ for his performance. Jodie Foster sued production company Polygram for 45 mil. $ for betraying a promise for her to act in the film (for 4.5 mil. $), but the case was settled out of court in 1996, with Foster's Egg Pictures continuing collaboration with Polygram. Shooting took place in Mexico, California, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, from August 1996 - January 1997. It opened #1 to a 14.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weeks in the top 5 (#2-#5) and grossed 48.3 mil. $ (44.1 % of the total gross). Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Fincher has later stated that he should have listened to his wife, (who advised him against making the film), because he didn't "figure out the third act". Fincher returned with Fight Club (1999). Douglas returned in A Perfect Murder (1998). The Game is certified fresh at 75 % with a 7.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
What do you think of The Game?
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