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The Game

Play trailer 2:26 Poster for The Game R,  1997,  2h 8m,  Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
The Game: Trailer 1 The Game: Trailer 1 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - Happy Birthday, Nicky The Game: Official Clip - Happy Birthday, Nicky Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - Back from the Dead The Game: Official Clip - Back from the Dead Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - He's Got a Gun The Game: Official Clip - He's Got a Gun Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - Deadly Cab Ride The Game: Official Clip - Deadly Cab Ride Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - You're With Them The Game: Official Clip - You're With Them Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - She's In On It The Game: Official Clip - She's In On It Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - Bad Waitress The Game: Official Clip - Bad Waitress Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - A Profound Life Experience The Game: Official Clip - A Profound Life Experience Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - The Game Begins The Game: Official Clip - The Game Begins Now Playing View more videos
Watchlist 78% 63 Reviews Tomatometer 80% 100,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
78% Tomatometer 63 Reviews 80% 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.
The Game

What to Know

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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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) Jun 7, 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?). Go to Full Review
Anton Bitel Little White Lies Jul 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) Go to Full Review
David Ansen Newsweek Feb 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. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Feb 1, 2026
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… Go to Full Review
Quentin Falk Sunday Mirror (UK) Dec 18, 2024
4/5
The plot develops into a nerve-tingling thriller of bluff and double bluff set in San Francisco. Go to Full Review
Erick Estrada Cinegarage Apr 26, 2023
One of Fincher's best. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Kylo S Mar 14, 2019 Love this flick underknown from an great director
Poe R Feb 22, 2019 I love this movie, it is great and easy to understand
Feb 1, 2019 The best thrilling mystery movie ever made!
Ron S Dec 24, 2018 Strong performance by Michael Douglas, The Game has thrilling twists and turns!
Poe R Nov 29, 2018 this was a great movie
Hermione M Nov 18, 2018 Excellent movie! In the begging I thought that it could be a regular suspense movie, but I was wrong! The movie keep you freeze up to it till the end! I loved this movie so much, so I added it to my favorite movie's list :))) I definitely recommend it! See more
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The Game

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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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

Movie Clips

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The Game

The Game: Official Clip - Happy Birthday, Nicky The Game: Official Clip - Happy Birthday, Nicky 2:59 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - Back from the Dead The Game: Official Clip - Back from the Dead 2:54 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - He's Got a Gun The Game: Official Clip - He's Got a Gun 2:24 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - Deadly Cab Ride The Game: Official Clip - Deadly Cab Ride 3:00 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - You're With Them The Game: Official Clip - You're With Them 2:52 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - She's In On It The Game: Official Clip - She's In On It 2:42 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - Bad Waitress The Game: Official Clip - Bad Waitress 2:11 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - A Profound Life Experience The Game: Official Clip - A Profound Life Experience 2:53 Now Playing The Game: Official Clip - The Game Begins The Game: Official Clip - The Game Begins 2:56 Now Playing View more videos

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The Game

The Game: Trailer 1 The Game: Trailer 1 2:26 Now Playing View more videos
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The Game

The Game (1997) The Game (1997) The Game (1997) The Game (1997) View more photos

Movie Info

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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