Yeah, that's for sure; it's underated. The first time I ever heard of it, I was just watching cable TV on a weekend and this was on, out of nowhere. I was totally into it, and it became one of my favorite movies. This was right before The Matrix, and I'd even classify this as a Matrix-style movie. It's not high tech or sci-fi, but it's still a false reality.
It's one of the most underrated movies of all time... until you stop to think about what you just saw. The coincidences are too many, the stunts that they pull too unbelievable, and the danger/trauma too real. Even as a kid when I first saw this I thought, "wait what if he jumped off the wrong side of the building? what if he just checked the bullets? what if what if what if?" I guess you could say The Game's real value is meta, it's to help you become more critical of other movies as you're watching and discern the coincidences... but that only works if you're already critical.
This is one of my top 10 movies . Remember, the gift was to provide what was lacking and he said what if there's nothing lacking. What Nicholas did not realize is that he didn't have a life and acknowledge the people around him that actually care about him.
Didnt get that at all ... I felt what he was lacking was answers on how / why / what could possibly be so bad that his father jumped from the roof and killed himself. He felt he was weak. And was bitter because of it..
This movie came up in conversation with two friends who hadn’t seen it and I said something to same effect. “Oh man, don’t read anything about it and just watch it.” They were so intrigued that I asked them if they wanted to watch it that night and they said yes. I’d only seen it once but watching it that night with them was so fun. By the end of it, we all agreed that it was a great movie. When the movie was released in Criterion, I bought the blu ray and have seen it several more times. This reaction made me want to rewatch it again.
Ultimately what he got out of the game was through having everything taken away from him, he realized what mattered most to him, family; his brother when he realized he wasnt dead, and his ex-wife when he realized how he had treated her.
IDEAL ENDING for this film: Nicholes dies after shooting his brother for real (that revolver had real bullets) as a result of the jump from the building top. What started as A GAME ended in TRAGEDY. However, this sad, realistic ending would have meant the movie would have flopped at the box office, and the producers would have lost all their investment. 🤔
@@hughjorg4008 That's far from ideal. There would not have been an explanation for what happened, nor a real resolution. The whole CRS plot would have become a mere MacGuffin plot point. It would have left more questions open than were answered in this version. That ending wouldn't have been a new idea anyways, so it would have flopped for being lame.
Nicholas’ trauma over his father’s suicide had consumed his entire life to the point that he no longer cared about anything. The only problem was that he couldn’t recognize what his life had become. So, either it was years of therapy to correct his life’s trajectory that was born from the trauma he experienced or something dramatic was needed to shock him into recognizing the harsh reality of his destructive life. When you’re living a life that never dealt with severe trauma, it’s extremely hard to recognize your own self destruction. His brother, knowing Nicholas was probably too far gone to even consider therapy, chose to give him The Game. The Game had actually helped Conrad gain his sobriety and put his own life back in order. The entire experience was to allow Nicholas to hit rock bottom and ultimately end a life that was on a path that could actually end just like his father’s life ended. Let’s not forget that Nicholas actually jumps to what he believes is his own death. The ultimate goal of the game was to allow Nicholas to emerge from a life that was slowly moving towards his actual demise similar to his father’s. Although Nicholas jumps himself, there was a plan in the game to throw Nicholas from the rooftop. Essentially, Nicholas was born again. Hallelujah! 😂😂😂
@@OrbiTiZZeD Is there any other? Making money is not a sign of being healthy or alright. There's plenty of work for shrinks on Wall Street or the Silicon Valley.
In drama there is a concept called "catharsis." It is an emotional purging, that allows you to feel what you have refused to feel, to scream when you have remained silent far too long, to weep when you have made it your life's mission never to cry. It breaks all the chains you have put around your heart, and mind, and soul. This game was Catharsis.
Unfortunately, only for Nicholas Van Orton. Never in as potent for any of us, viewers. It may inspire efforts toward such accomplishment, but The Game was not for you.
The thing I hate about Catharsis, especially in a movie like this is that it puts all the onus on the one bearing the chains. They never do anything about the one who put the chains on in the first place.
Also, his game started once his brother gave him the card. The psychological and physical examination was all part of the game. Then when he was denied, they played on his ego that nothing could be denied to him.
A small piece of advice here...Watch this movie again a few days from now! Some of your questions will be answered because you trying so hard to remember all the details. Your dad rocks if he likes this movie also!
The most traumatic thing in his life was watching his Father commit suicide on his birthday. He never got over it. He was headed there. His brother showed him he could have a life. It took intense feelings to get him there.
just watched reaction of the game, its an old post but: I felt like he could not forgive his father for killing himself but they pushed him until he did the same thing, so now he can finally understand his fathers actions and forgive him.
No matter the intentions, The Game subjected Nicholas to severe psychological manipulation, stripping him of consent, exploiting his deepest fears, and placing him in real physical danger-all of which crossed a line from helping someone to outright abuse
The most incredible aspect of The Game is the recreation of his father's suicide which Nicholas witnessed as a kid on his birthday. His father jumps from the roof of their family home to his death.The Game ends with Nicholas thinking he shot and killed his brother, and in pure utter despondency, he then REPEATS his father's suicidal leap, this time off a tall building. Yet the whole suicidal leap is anticipated, with the entire birthday party below, with breakaway glass on the roof skylight windows, and with a huge inflatable landing pad marked with an X where he lands safely exactly in front of everyone. Just think of all the planning that went into The Game. The drugging and having him wake up lying in a COFFIN in a Mexican Cemetery really blew my mind too. This is a brilliant mystery thriller, very Hitchcockian or David Lynch × 10. The planning on how each little detail would be added to The Game is mind boggling. Just an incredible movie. You kept saying why? The answer is the answer to the initial Q "what do you give to the ultra rich man who has everything"? The answer>>You give him what he lacks. Remember the Bible verse the guy in the club quotes "where once I was blind, now I can see."
The actor who interviewed Michael Douglas' character at the beginning in the CRS office and carried out the examinations, was the late character actor James Rebhorn. You may recognise him from Independence Day, Scent of a Woman, My Cousin Vinny, Meet the Parents etc.
What was lacking in his life was humility and empathy while he lived in fear of following in his father's footsteps - which he absolutely was... for me the seminal moment of the entire movie is when he's standing there in the diner, asking - begging - anyone for a ride. He had become the people he tended to ignore or dismiss out of hand, and that moment was the crystallization of that. He had literally walked a mile in someone else's shoes at that point. (Hair's getting long, Carly - looks good!)
Yeah that struck me as the major turning point in the movie. Like when in his life had he depended on the kindness of strangers like that. I mean, probably a lot after his father died, but because of his inheritance there was always that imbalance of power...like the people surrounding him were employees rather than peers.
The ending scene was a perfect blend of ambiguous romance and mystery as Nicholas contemplates leaving the party to hang out with Claire. The credits roll and leaves the audience hanging as to what Nicholas will do. But that feeling of leaving the audience hanging is parallel to what the whole movie was doing throughout. And it is just the right note to end it.
I'm so bummed I missed this one in theaters. I put it on one night because it sounded cool and didn't move for the whole film. It was so good and yeah, leaves you stunned and at a loss for a bit.
David Fincher had one of the best movie runs in the late 90s. The Game, Seven, and Fight Club. Thats a hell of a run of excellent movies for just a few years. LOVE THIS MOVIE
Can you concur with me that using "one of the [superlative]" is no praise nor value at all? Out of a bajizzion things, I could argue, and win/sustain, that the 2nd worst is "one of the best".
@@sophiamarchildon3998 Even if you're willing to semantically sustain the argument that 2nd worst out of a large sample size is "one of the best", I'd still argue that you go against the common understanding of the concept. We'd be talking about two different conceptualizations of the concept "one of the best" and you'd have to concede that my conceptualization is the one in broader use, whereas I'd have to concede that yours is semantically sound. The real problem arises if any of us try to argue that we have the "right" understanding of what the concept is, because there's really no way of proving that, and consequently we shouldn't go around telling other people that they should adopt our particular view.
@@quietreason8679 Even the most popular, most widespread, most agreed upon bullshit, ... is still bullshit. In this case, a bullshit void of any useful meaning, or balls for that matter. So what's your actual ranking of that "one the best"? Top 1, 3, 10, 20, 50, 100? And below what exactly, and why? Put your mouth where your heart his. Stop being so vehemently BLAND! I am not try to argue, nor ask, for the "right" thing. Simply go ahead and state your opinion, then support it. Just for you to take a proper stand, and not be pointless. Otherwise, your lame kid's school play performance, and the finest of arts is just mush: "being one of the best". Well, with everything ootb, nothing is. (BTW, you should consider using the old age practice of paragraphing.)
I guess I'm not a David Fincher fan. I didn't like any of those movies. My main emotion was annoyance. I know this puts me in the minority. Just my minuscule opinion
Damn, why did buzzkills kinda swarm to _this_ thread? 😄 But yeah, I've seen all of those films but Fight Club, and I liked them both. Didn't know Fincher made all of them, but knowing that now, there's a pretty good argument for him having one of the better late-'90's runs.
When the two men at the club tell him “I was blind but now I can see,” that’s his story. Until his safe, dull life was under threat, he didn’t know who he was or what he was truly capable of, or what truly mattered. It’s a life-changing experience.
16:40 - Yes, it is like a giant Escape Room, however this movie is from 1997 and the Escape Rooms became popular and mass in the 2010s. The first real life Escape Game was created in Japan in 2007. They later hit Asia and Europe and came to USA in 2012. So this movie (screenplay) was pretty inventive. The whole idea came from escape room video-games (the first was actually text-based in 1988) which naturally came prior to the real life escape rooms.
He also has a smaller role in "The China Syndrome" (1979) - incidentally, also playing a not totally 100% sympathetic character as I recall. This is also a good movie btw, and another thriller as well. Slower paced, as movies were back then, but still enjoyable today, just like "Omen" is still an enjoyable horror movie if you enjoy those, etc.
After his dad died he took control of his brother as a surrogate dad. Control and separation from other people and his feelings became his prison, one that he didn't even know he was in, except in those moments when he wondered if/when he would kill himself like his father. The game took his control, his money, his stability, his health, the respect others showed him, and the few social pillars he had in his life, Conrad, Sam etc. Now that it's over he can re-evaluate his life without his prison of control, with a new eye to what matters and with his worst fears already faced.
The purpose of the game in my view is summarised as: "What do you get the man who has everything? You give him the appreciation that he has everything."
_The Game_ is one of my favorite paranoid thrillers and you and your sister's reaction lives up to it, Cassie. Carly has come a long way in a very short time. She's a critic and on-air talent now. She immediately picked up on this movie being a retelling of _A Christmas Carol_ with Nick van Orton as Scrooge. It took me a few years to realize that. Then, when you were at a loss for words or thought after the movie, Carly stepped in to wrap up the show. Great teamwork!
Yes! Just like "A Christmas Carol", with the timeline and some of the characters put in a blender. We start out “home movie style” with a memory of Nicholas as a child at his birthday party (ghost of Christmas past), then proceed immediately to the present day where he meets brother Conrad for lunch (meeting nephew Fred Holloway who invites his uncle Scrooge to Christmas dinner), then the firing of Anson Baer (threatening to fire Bob Cratchit). The TV news anchorman explaining the rules of the Game (Jacob Marley). To me, Deborah Kara Unger, as Christine--or CHRISTine) could be seen as the ghost of Christmas present, Nicholas' guide through the Game, without letting him know she was in on the Game. The ghost of Christmas future (or ghost of Christmas yet-to-come) had its biggest moment with Scrooge seeing his own tombstone in the cemetery, and Nicholas woke up (after being drugged) in a graveyard in Mexico (start of the 3rd act in the film), with him falling from the skyscraper near the end (Scrooge falling into his own grave site--even though that was in Disney's animated "A Christmas Carol" and not in other versions I've seen) and landing on the airbag marked with an “X” (“X” marks the spot) a changed man (like Scrooge landing on his bed at home, waking up to Christmas morning and buying the Christmas meal for Cratchit's family and accepting his nephew Fred's invitation to Christmas dinner-Nicholas attending his birthday party with Anson Baer and his brother Conrad in attendance). By the end of the film, Michael Douglas' character had transformed from Scrooge to St. Nick!
The "twist" has become such a used trope that you can often smell it a mile away. Good mindfuck movies are still made occasionally, but they are so much rarer now. Few studios are willing to risk anything but what is already selling. It's pretty much in the hand of indie directors to make movies that are at the edge of the Bell curve.
Honestly dude, most of them are. Zodiac, Benjamin Button, Gone Girl, Social Network are also extremely good films. I even like his lesser acknowledged movies like Panic Room and Alien 3.
@@odinsahn7648 Anyone else, The Killer would be lost against Killers of the Flower Moon, and the general fall shuffle, but I have a feeling even a bad Fincher movie should still be very good, so I'm looking forward to it.
@@odinsahn7648 People forget about Alien 3. I would love to see his original treatment filmed. A wooden monastery planet? Fuck yeah. I imagine it like the library from The Name of the Rose.
@@gerrykavanagh I have the Assembly Cut which is better. More distinguished characters and more narrative to intensify the brooding atmosphere but nothing close to his original concept which you just stated. I would have found that to be more interesting. Maybe even the monastery mixed with the prison from In The Name Of The Father.
@@odinsahn7648Yep. Panic Room was quite good. I think there was a fifteen year period where Jodie Foster just made one excellent film after another. However, she rarely gets mentioned as one of the best actresses of her generation.
I remember seeing this in the movie theater back in 1997 and as it ended I heard black dude commenting "oh hell naw if anyone ever did that to me" and stuff like that and I couldn't stop laughing. He kinda felt like the blonde in the white shirt here so makes sense to feel like that. Crazy awesome movie ending though.
Wow, they really made you chop this one up! Loved the reaction, of course - one of the greatest mind-bender movies ever made. Your confused faces at the end were worth every second!
"What do you get for the man who has everything?" Happiness. Great film, been years since I've seen it. Even though it's ridiculously far-fetched etc. the main point of the story hits hard and Michael Douglas sells it so well. A really effective, modern-day retelling of 'A Christmas Carol'.
Your reactions when the credits started rolling are priceless! What a great reaction to a crazy story. Would love to see the two of you react to 'Memento'!
@@errydm They could handle it, and Carly would probably figure it out before the end, just like she did on the original "Mission Impossible". What I'd really like to see is how they'd piece together "Mulholland Drive".
The same song plays during the house vandalization scene, and at the end when he's considering going to the airport. It's "White Rabbit," by Jefferson Airplane. Psychedelic song from the '60's, going down the rabbit hole.
The subtext being that Nicholas was becoming his father -- pushing those who care about him most away, growing more miserable and lonely -- and Conrad was afraid he would meet the same end one day. This "game" did a lot of things that many here have brought up, but it also proved Conrad right and pushed Nicholas to face losing everything he cared about and jumping as his father did, basically showing Nicholas that he was indeed headed towards his father's fate & knowing this allows him to change.
this is one of the best movie reaction channels out there. You select really good movies, so its nice when you kind of want to rewatch a movie, but dont want to invest a full 2 hours. You guys give a great presentation. its like watching with a friend.
Remember the psychological questionnaire in the beginning? That enabled CRS to predict his every move. He thanked Connie for the adventure of a lifetime. I know you watch Survivor. It's a horrible ordeal but almost everyone who plays it ends up praying they will get another chance to play.
I have watched a lot of your reactions and this is BY FAR my favorite! You responded so well to it from beginning to end and everything you felt was exactly what any of us felt who have seen the movie before. Well done, ladies, and thank you so much for not holding back on expressing the emotional roller coaster!
Now you see why The Game is one of your father's favorites. I busted up laughing at 20:43 when Cassie says, "...he needs to call that number and be like "I'm out"..." 😆 🤣 😂 Your reaction at the conclusion of the movie means "you got the movie," or rather, "the movie got you" perfectly as was intended.
Yea the first time I watched this and still to this day it has the biggest twist and "omg" moment I've ever seen. It really kept me intrigued and into it the whole time. Criminally underrated.
The guy that interviewed Michael Douglas, was the president’s right hand man in the movie Independence Day, he was also the automotive expert in the movie, my cousin Vinny.
What an absolute masterpiece that movie is. One of my favorites. One one hand the cinematography and soundwork is so relaxing, and on the other hand it slowly creates huge tension.
I saw the movie in cinema as a sneak preview and went WOW! This plot twist was A M A Z I N G! Thanks 4 watching, you two pretty ladies! AAAAND it was a great movie cause you girls were SPEECHLESS at the end! 😄
I'm proud of you, Carly, for sticking in there with your sister on watching this great movie thriller. You two showed a lot of stamina, although you both still show so many emotions during the playing of the Game. Congrats from me to you two.
FUN FACT: If you've ever played a Nintendo game with Mario (and even if you haven't), you'll be interested to know that the actor who played Nicholas and Conrad's suicidal father in the old "home movie" flashbacks has been *the* voice of Mario and other video game characters for over 30 years. He officially retired from his role as a voice actor for Nintendo just last month (Aug. 2023), and he is now a "Mario Ambassador" for Nintendo, whatever that means. 🤓
It's why film is the best form of art, IMO. You get a director or writer's vision for a story that may or may not be based in total reality. It's an interpretation through a visual medium of what is locked in someone's head. You can't take film literally. I experienced this film similar to you guys the first time I watched it. I tried to fit the scenes into my version of reality and it was a square peg in a round hole. But if you just appreciate it for what it is and enjoy the ride, you realize you just watched a concept unfold that you never imagined. For whatever this film is, it is unique. Thanks for reacting! I know it was a hard one to watch but those are the ones that might make you think more than others.
One of my all time favorite movies. Unfortunately you can only enjoy it the way you did once. I wish I could go back and watch it for the first time all over again. Loved your reactions.
From the moment he accepted the card from his brother, the game began. And yes, the bill for this game cost 6-7 figures. The secret behind it was there were safety features throughout, in case he endangered himself. Even the gun he found in his home. They already knew about it, and played along as though it was real. The guys shooting at him were shooting blanks. The so-called bullet hits on the walls, ceilings, etc were special effects like in a Hollywood film. He was never in any danger of being shot, he just didn't know that, which was the idea.
really? they knew he would point the gun at the precise spots he did and planted squibs there??? way too far-fetched to be realistic. suppose he had drowned, or any other scenario out of their control? and after the Big Reveal he immediately calms down from his hyper-vigilance and shrugs everything off with hugs and kisses?? The psyche doesn't work that way in humans.
It works both ways though. Eye witnesses to crimes SWEAR by what they saw until they are confronted with objective security camera footage that doesn't match what they stated at all. Under stress, your mind fills in certain details, glosses over some and completely invents others. They explained that they had divers near the car, etc. It's a lot of the reason why the bill was stratospheric: they would have had to have had alternate set-ups waiting in the wings all the time ready to go. What if he doesn't get in the cab that drives into the river? Then we send a tow truck since he pressed the Onstar button.....@@jollyrodgers7272
@@jollyrodgers7272 It's unrealistic yes. Like when he fires at the private investigators car, the bullet hit effect triggers at exact correct spot in the cars hood, on the exact right moment. It would be just impossible to predict where he will shoot the gun, if at all. You have to suspend your disbelief for this one. However I disagree with what you said last about the psyche thing
@@jollyrodgers7272 you apparently didn't hear when they said there was a diver in the water, should he not have managed to escape. This film wasn't meant to be real anyway, so I don't understand why you are getting so bent. But neither does it bother me. You seem to think you are an expert in the human psyche, but be careful, most of us know what an expert is.
@@jollyrodgers7272 She leads the escape route during the shootout and he follows her which makes sense because he doesn't know the place and following her steps is a natural instinct, that's basicly why they knew where to plant the squibs. Plus, they might have had planted them to more places than they've used and carefully triggered only the ones that are necessary in the action. As the actor guy said "if you didn't jump, I'd have to push you" at the final party in the end, they might have had many scenarios ready based on his reactive (but fairly predictable) choices in different situations. So, it's not that they're necessarily leading him to a very concrete scripted path during the game, but they're orchestrating an interactive game with some flexibly set milestone events. It's still extremely hard to pull off but it's not as close to impossible as you think in the first place provided there's a huge production team behind it as implied in the movie.
"What do you give the man who has everything?" "We supply.....what is lacking." "Finding out the object of The Game, is the Game." "For once I was blind, now I can see". That's The Game in a nutshell.
I was so thrilled when you announced that you would be watching this movie, having Carly join you made it even better. I honestly don't know how you could've handled this movie without Carly. This was going to be a "Usual Suspects" or "Unbreakable" reaction, and it was spectacular. Many people scoff at this movie for how it bends reality, which it does, however, this movie is made in such a smart way that you don't even care about the absurdities. Michael Douglas owns this movie. One of his best performances ever. It's frustrating that this movie is not well remembered as one of his top movies he was in, nor as a top movie in general. I love the looks on both of your faces as the movie ends, absolutely priceless. Your analyses are spot on too. Carly referencing Scrooge and you saying that "We are the mark" are great observations. In the end, I hope you both enjoyed this movie. You were both very subdued, and Cassie you had that look of disapproval on your face. Thanks again for watching this movie, and for giving all of us the reaction we knew you would have.
This is your best sisters reaction yet. Now that you've seen it, imagine seeing it again with someone who is watching it for the first time. That's the joy you just gave to us. Thank you.
Now imagine seeing this reaction of sisters reacting to this for the first time...only to see it pulled down...and posted again to watch for the second time.
People should appreciate the final song... Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit And if you go chasing rabbits And you know you're going to fall ... When logic and proportion Have fallen sloppy dead And the White Knight is talking backwards And the Red Queen's off with her head Remember what the dormouse said Feed your head Feed your head
One of the most trippy and awesome films ever made! Michael Douglas is absolutely among the top tier actors of our time and this film just takes you for a total ride. Falling Down is another masterpiece starring Michael. What a twist as well…so brilliant!
Enjoyed this reaction, never seen this movie myself. You may enjoy a movie called "Sleuth" 1972 with Lawrence Olivier & Micheal Cain. A suspensefull drama based on a kind of "game" mentality also.
Yes for "Sleuth"! And then, a decade later, catch Caine in "Deathtrap" (1982) opposite Christopher Reeve (not playing Superman, lol). A clever little film.
There is a 1944 film "Gaslight" that is a remake of a 1940 British film called "Gaslight" (which was called "Angel Street" in the US), which are both worthy of a look.
Maybe my favorite reaction on the channel, one of my fav movies. Sadly it won't perform as well as something like "Saving Private Ryan" because not a lot of people know this movie. Hope you can do this kind of "conversation evoking" movies together. It makes it better because you exchange thoughts in a natural dialog when there's two people
Cassie: "We were the mark!" Carly: "It was 'an experience'". Yes, and yes. Amazing film. I love how you both begged for and were furious at the Scrooge ending. :D
What's up world✌🏼 This movie was a trip, I didn't know what to believe it was like a roller coaster that kept gaining speed and then went out of control 😂 but I enjoyed it, cool reaction video ladies, Another confusing yet awsome film that i once saw is "Vanilla sky" with Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz. ✌🏼
On top of him realising his own life and the people in it were passing him by, I also feel that the trauma from his father's death felt permanent to him. To show it needn't be, and that he could embrace life required the huge barrage of traumas he faced leading ultimately to his brother's death - an unimaginable loss on top of losing his father. But this time, he's offered sanctuary and support in a happy ending and is awoken to the fact that he is capable of dealing with trauma when he reaches out to others instead of staying closed off. There are so many levels to this film and I reacted the same way the first time I saw it - just horrifying 🙃 I'm yet to watch a David Fincher film I don't love🥰
The guy was like, 13 when that happened and he was the one who had to step up and run the family. It's not his goddamn fault. How the hell is he *supposed* to turn out?
Exactly my point, lol. Never for one minute implied it was his fault. Trauma victims ae victims. Deeply sad that he had to go through it and had become stuck in his life and disconnected from those around him. Very easy to relate to. @@Theomite
@@yzolakitchi Right, but the idea that the traumatized person has to be RE-TRAUMATIZED by the very people who aren't carrying that trauma themselves gets completely glossed over and even considered acceptable. They just unilaterally decide (or fate does in the case of say, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE) to completely wreck the life this person built out of the ruins of their previous life that someone else wrecked. It judges the victim.
@@Theomite Yes, totally agree. I think the sisters were spot on in their horror at what was done to him. Unforgiveable in my opinion to put him through such an ordeal. Glad it's just a movie, can't imagine anyone doing this to a loved one in real life. It feels like the writer wanted to see how far the notions of 'tough love/it's for your own good, you'll thank us one day' might be pushed. Given it came out in 1997, I'm glad for the advances made in understanding and treating trauma. As someone who has been in and out of the mental health system for more than 20 years, I can't imagine any professional condoning such an approach. I have however experienced punitive care approaches (far less horrific than the movie, but upsetting nonetheless!) from staff who saw any patient as a naughty child who needed to be blamed and put in their place.🤔
This was the first David Fincher movie I ever saw (my local video store only had one copy of “Seven” that was constantly checked out). I knew given his MTV background, he had a flare for being twisted, but 20 minutes into this movie, I was hooked. I really admire that he never lets the audience off easy.
I actually found out that Chicago actually had a service that was based off the idea in this movie. You run around the city looking for clues to solve a mystery and you'd have people chasing you down trying to stop you.
The advantage movies have is that there are no coincidences in them. Everything is controlled by the script. If CRS were real, they would be the most powerful organization in the world. Fun thing is, it turned out to be a benevolent conspiracy.
Part of why The Game is a tearjerker is because CRS is Nicholas's paid chaperone on a depressing birthday. They guide him through the exposure therapy of jumping off a roof which has been on his mind and catch him when he falls.
Michael Douglas is just awesome in this movie... In fact, he's awesome in every movie he's done... and he's done so many great ones: "Running", "The China Syndrome", "The War of the Roses", "Black Rain", "Coma", "A Chorus Line", "Falling Down", "Traffic", "Wonder Boys", "Wall Street", "Fatal Attraction", "The Jewel of the Nile"...
It is Fincher+Hitchcock, still think this is his best movie, even after knowing the twist. This is the only DF movie i rewatch, because MD is so good in this.
I intially wanted to watch that one, but then I read a book review which spoiled the premise. And that completely took away all my inclinations of ever doing so. The premise IS the story, you can't give that away.
@@Quotenwagnerianer Don't ever judge a movie by the book - that is my belief as a movie lover. And don't ever judge a book by the movie. Both are completely different ways of storytelling, even if a book can thrive ones cinematic imagination or a film adaptation can be "by the book". I only know "Gone Girl" as a movie, it was one of the most mind-blowing cinematic experiences of the last 10 years, but then it was so because no one spoiled it for me.
The issue is not the storytelling, the issue is familiarity with the twist of the story. If you know that half of the fun of the story, and the movie are gone.@@CaStumpe75
This is one of those movies I went to see when it was in theaters, bought on vhs and DVD, and have watched I don't know how many times. For me, it's on my list of the top ten psychological thrillers of the '90s. It's one of those matryoshka movies where just when you're sure you know what's going on or what's going to happen next, up pops another little surprise until you have to stop guessing and just let the story have its way with you.
3rd time is the charm I hope. I'll leave another like of course. I also wanted to thank whoever gifted me the membership during The Game reaction the other day.😊
Remember, early in the movie his friend said he had been through the game and when asked what the point was, he said "I was blind, but now I see". The whole point of the game is to remind people what is really important: family, the people you care about, etc. Not the material things.
A great movie. The younger brother gave his brother the best birthday gift. The older brother always felt guilty about his father’s suicide so I guess this was therapy??
@@shredd5705 How can kids feel guilty for their parents divorcing? Ask people, there are a lot of things that make them question themselves. Whatever happened before he saw his father jumping is what made him feel that way. That's the main reason for the trauma of losing someone dear. But I am not a psychologist, someone with more expertise may explain.
@@Cau_No Well if you're terrible kid who tormented his family, then maybe. Otherwise divorce is between parents, not kids. Even if you feel "guilty" as a child, at least when you're adult, you must realize it wasn't you who took the divorce. Nick Van Orton was 48, I doubt he would think it was his fault. I think his father in the movie killed himself for work reasons. At least his housekeeper (who knew the family well) said this in one scene. "I think he simply worked too much", she says
Very much looking forward to seeing the ghost and the darkness reaction. There are 2 other Michael Douglas movies I'd like to suggest. Falling down and Black rain but they are darker and grittier showcases of his acting skills and not typical Cassie movies.
When your dad (or family) recommend a movie you should do a phone call with him (them) when you do the final review. The Game is a move that you should watch it again to catch all the subtle things that happen. I agree that it is an AWESOME move.
two beautiful ladies why did the owner of the channel publish her reaction to this film in the form of a video for the second time, after all, her reaction was published yesterday ?
![Twenty One Pilots - “The Line” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E2Rj2gQAyPA/mqdefault.jpg)
This is one of those movies you wish you could forget, so you can experience seeing it for the first time again!
Yes to that!
I recently watched it again and had forgotten everything!
Just wait 25 years before you watch it your second time :D
I like to imagine that some of those involved had a game of their own, surrendered their regular lives to be live gamers..
Just like this exact same comment---which is on EVERY reaction.
Thats what mushrooms are for!!!
I feel like this is one of those underrated movies of all time. Just didn't get the recognition it deserves. So glad you did a reaction to it.
One of my favourite movies.
It's kind of a weird film. The whole premise of the film is just weird.
Yeah, that's for sure; it's underated. The first time I ever heard of it, I was just watching cable TV on a weekend and this was on, out of nowhere. I was totally into it, and it became one of my favorite movies. This was right before The Matrix, and I'd even classify this as a Matrix-style movie. It's not high tech or sci-fi, but it's still a false reality.
It's one of the most underrated movies of all time... until you stop to think about what you just saw. The coincidences are too many, the stunts that they pull too unbelievable, and the danger/trauma too real. Even as a kid when I first saw this I thought, "wait what if he jumped off the wrong side of the building? what if he just checked the bullets? what if what if what if?"
I guess you could say The Game's real value is meta, it's to help you become more critical of other movies as you're watching and discern the coincidences... but that only works if you're already critical.
@@Frog_Cat_ Hey if I can overlook Sean Penn's politics, you can overlook all that stuff.
This is one of my top 10 movies .
Remember, the gift was to provide what was lacking and he said what if there's nothing lacking. What Nicholas did not realize is that he didn't have a life and acknowledge the people around him that actually care about him.
Exactly. And it provided so many things he was lacking... action, rejection, struggle, desperation, ugggh so good!
Didnt get that at all ... I felt what he was lacking was answers on how / why / what could possibly be so bad that his father jumped from the roof and killed himself. He felt he was weak. And was bitter because of it..
Watch the movie again...the end especially. @@mitchbutterfinger2367
This film is simply a masterpiece! I envy everyone who has the chance to experience this film for the first time.
@@dancarter482 Are you not aware what a react channel is for?
This movie came up in conversation with two friends who hadn’t seen it and I said something to same effect. “Oh man, don’t read anything about it and just watch it.” They were so intrigued that I asked them if they wanted to watch it that night and they said yes. I’d only seen it once but watching it that night with them was so fun. By the end of it, we all agreed that it was a great movie.
When the movie was released in Criterion, I bought the blu ray and have seen it several more times. This reaction made me want to rewatch it again.
Masterpiece is something without flaws. This movie has flaws
@@milannesic5718 Ummm no lol you name one movie you consider a "masterpiece" and I will point out at least 5 flaws. Just try me.
Ultimately what he got out of the game was through having everything taken away from him, he realized what mattered most to him, family; his brother when he realized he wasnt dead, and his ex-wife when he realized how he had treated her.
They also made him understand his father, kind of. They drove him to repeat what he did exactly 18 years before.
IDEAL ENDING for this film: Nicholes dies after shooting his brother for real (that revolver had real bullets) as a result of the jump from the building top. What started as A GAME ended in TRAGEDY. However, this sad, realistic ending would have meant the movie would have flopped at the box office, and the producers would have lost all their investment. 🤔
Well put
@@hughjorg4008 That's far from ideal.
There would not have been an explanation for what happened, nor a real resolution. The whole CRS plot would have become a mere MacGuffin plot point. It would have left more questions open than were answered in this version.
That ending wouldn't have been a new idea anyways, so it would have flopped for being lame.
Says who?
Nicholas’ trauma over his father’s suicide had consumed his entire life to the point that he no longer cared about anything. The only problem was that he couldn’t recognize what his life had become. So, either it was years of therapy to correct his life’s trajectory that was born from the trauma he experienced or something dramatic was needed to shock him into recognizing the harsh reality of his destructive life. When you’re living a life that never dealt with severe trauma, it’s extremely hard to recognize your own self destruction. His brother, knowing Nicholas was probably too far gone to even consider therapy, chose to give him The Game. The Game had actually helped Conrad gain his sobriety and put his own life back in order. The entire experience was to allow Nicholas to hit rock bottom and ultimately end a life that was on a path that could actually end just like his father’s life ended. Let’s not forget that Nicholas actually jumps to what he believes is his own death. The ultimate goal of the game was to allow Nicholas to emerge from a life that was slowly moving towards his actual demise similar to his father’s. Although Nicholas jumps himself, there was a plan in the game to throw Nicholas from the rooftop. Essentially, Nicholas was born again. Hallelujah! 😂😂😂
Great explanation!
Yep perfectly summed up...
he had at least 600 million so im guessing you mean "self destruction" in a more internal form lol
@@OrbiTiZZeD Is there any other? Making money is not a sign of being healthy or alright. There's plenty of work for shrinks on Wall Street or the Silicon Valley.
damn, this was a great explanation
In drama there is a concept called "catharsis." It is an emotional purging, that allows you to feel what you have refused to feel, to scream when you have remained silent far too long, to weep when you have made it your life's mission never to cry. It breaks all the chains you have put around your heart, and mind, and soul.
This game was Catharsis.
Unfortunately, only for Nicholas Van Orton. Never in as potent for any of us, viewers. It may inspire efforts toward such accomplishment, but The Game was not for you.
The thing I hate about Catharsis, especially in a movie like this is that it puts all the onus on the one bearing the chains. They never do anything about the one who put the chains on in the first place.
@@Theomite His father is dead. Unless they can do a seance.
Also, his game started once his brother gave him the card. The psychological and physical examination was all part of the game. Then when he was denied, they played on his ego that nothing could be denied to him.
Good point. The moment he gave the card Christine appeared with the ice tea.
It actually got started before he gave him the card, whether his brother liked it or not
@@blankstare3775 , technically you are correct. Christine was there waiting on him before his brother showed up.
A small piece of advice here...Watch this movie again a few days from now! Some of your questions will be answered because you trying so hard to remember all the details. Your dad rocks if he likes this movie also!
Totally agree. They will pick up the subtle things that are part of the game when they watch it again.
Way too far-fetched to be realistic. Writers couldn't spell PTSD if you spotted them the P and the T.
@@jollyrodgers7272🤡
This was an absolutely amazing movie in 1997 unique and trippy. Nice to see that it can still blow minds three decades later.
The most traumatic thing in his life was watching his Father commit suicide on his birthday. He never got over it. He was headed there. His brother showed him he could have a life. It took intense feelings to get him there.
A scenario wherein he could make the most drastic life choices, eventually making the final choice, and learn and come back from it
just watched reaction of the game, its an old post but: I felt like he could not forgive his father for killing himself but they pushed him until he did the same thing, so now he can finally understand his fathers actions and forgive him.
No matter the intentions, The Game subjected Nicholas to severe psychological manipulation, stripping him of consent, exploiting his deepest fears, and placing him in real physical danger-all of which crossed a line from helping someone to outright abuse
The most incredible aspect of The Game is the recreation of his father's suicide which Nicholas witnessed as a kid on his birthday. His father jumps from the roof of their family home to his death.The Game ends with Nicholas thinking he shot and killed his brother, and in pure utter despondency, he then REPEATS his father's suicidal leap, this time off a tall building. Yet the whole suicidal leap is anticipated, with the entire birthday party below, with breakaway glass on the roof skylight windows, and with a huge inflatable landing pad marked with an X where he lands safely exactly in front of everyone. Just think of all the planning that went into The Game.
The drugging and having him wake up lying in a COFFIN in a Mexican Cemetery really blew my mind too.
This is a brilliant mystery thriller, very Hitchcockian or David Lynch × 10. The planning on how each little detail would be added to The Game is mind boggling. Just an incredible movie.
You kept saying why? The answer is the answer to the initial Q "what do you give to the ultra rich man who has everything"? The answer>>You give him what he lacks. Remember the Bible verse the guy in the club quotes "where once I was blind, now I can see."
I knew this would be an EPIC reaction. Thanks girls!
The actor who interviewed Michael Douglas' character at the beginning in the CRS office and carried out the examinations, was the late character actor James Rebhorn. You may recognise him from Independence Day, Scent of a Woman, My Cousin Vinny, Meet the Parents etc.
What was lacking in his life was humility and empathy while he lived in fear of following in his father's footsteps - which he absolutely was... for me the seminal moment of the entire movie is when he's standing there in the diner, asking - begging - anyone for a ride. He had become the people he tended to ignore or dismiss out of hand, and that moment was the crystallization of that. He had literally walked a mile in someone else's shoes at that point.
(Hair's getting long, Carly - looks good!)
Yeah that struck me as the major turning point in the movie. Like when in his life had he depended on the kindness of strangers like that. I mean, probably a lot after his father died, but because of his inheritance there was always that imbalance of power...like the people surrounding him were employees rather than peers.
The ending scene was a perfect blend of ambiguous romance and mystery as Nicholas contemplates leaving the party to hang out with Claire. The credits roll and leaves the audience hanging as to what Nicholas will do. But that feeling of leaving the audience hanging is parallel to what the whole movie was doing throughout. And it is just the right note to end it.
Great point. I agree and felt the same way regarding the ending
Sharing this with you was magical. I remember, in the theater, the audience just sat there almost silently, as the credits scrolled by
I'm so bummed I missed this one in theaters. I put it on one night because it sounded cool and didn't move for the whole film. It was so good and yeah, leaves you stunned and at a loss for a bit.
David Fincher had one of the best movie runs in the late 90s. The Game, Seven, and Fight Club. Thats a hell of a run of excellent movies for just a few years. LOVE THIS MOVIE
Can you concur with me that using "one of the [superlative]" is no praise nor value at all?
Out of a bajizzion things, I could argue, and win/sustain, that the 2nd worst is "one of the best".
@@sophiamarchildon3998 Even if you're willing to semantically sustain the argument that 2nd worst out of a large sample size is "one of the best", I'd still argue that you go against the common understanding of the concept. We'd be talking about two different conceptualizations of the concept "one of the best" and you'd have to concede that my conceptualization is the one in broader use, whereas I'd have to concede that yours is semantically sound. The real problem arises if any of us try to argue that we have the "right" understanding of what the concept is, because there's really no way of proving that, and consequently we shouldn't go around telling other people that they should adopt our particular view.
@@quietreason8679 Even the most popular, most widespread, most agreed upon bullshit, ... is still bullshit. In this case, a bullshit void of any useful meaning, or balls for that matter.
So what's your actual ranking of that "one the best"? Top 1, 3, 10, 20, 50, 100? And below what exactly, and why? Put your mouth where your heart his. Stop being so vehemently BLAND!
I am not try to argue, nor ask, for the "right" thing. Simply go ahead and state your opinion, then support it. Just for you to take a proper stand, and not be pointless.
Otherwise, your lame kid's school play performance, and the finest of arts is just mush: "being one of the best". Well, with everything ootb, nothing is.
(BTW, you should consider using the old age practice of paragraphing.)
I guess I'm not a David Fincher fan. I didn't like any of those movies. My main emotion was annoyance.
I know this puts me in the minority. Just my minuscule opinion
Damn, why did buzzkills kinda swarm to _this_ thread? 😄
But yeah, I've seen all of those films but Fight Club, and I liked them both. Didn't know Fincher made all of them, but knowing that now, there's a pretty good argument for him having one of the better late-'90's runs.
When the two men at the club tell him “I was blind but now I can see,” that’s his story. Until his safe, dull life was under threat, he didn’t know who he was or what he was truly capable of, or what truly mattered. It’s a life-changing experience.
16:40 - Yes, it is like a giant Escape Room, however this movie is from 1997 and the Escape Rooms became popular and mass in the 2010s. The first real life Escape Game was created in Japan in 2007. They later hit Asia and Europe and came to USA in 2012. So this movie (screenplay) was pretty inventive. The whole idea came from escape room video-games (the first was actually text-based in 1988) which naturally came prior to the real life escape rooms.
FATAL ATTRACTION (1987), *BASIC INSTINCT* (1992) and FALLING DOWN (1993) are three great films starring the great Michael Douglas
He also has a smaller role in "The China Syndrome" (1979) - incidentally, also playing a not totally 100% sympathetic character as I recall.
This is also a good movie btw, and another thriller as well. Slower paced, as movies were back then, but still enjoyable today, just like "Omen" is still an enjoyable horror movie if you enjoy those, etc.
Falling Down is certainly one of his most iconic roles.
Wall Street was the best film he was ever in.
@@davidbaker7903 CASSIE has seen the sequel to WALL STREET (2010) but she hasn't seen the original 1987 film. 🤣
I add "Black Rain" if allowed 😍
After his dad died he took control of his brother as a surrogate dad. Control and separation from other people and his feelings became his prison, one that he didn't even know he was in, except in those moments when he wondered if/when he would kill himself like his father. The game took his control, his money, his stability, his health, the respect others showed him, and the few social pillars he had in his life, Conrad, Sam etc. Now that it's over he can re-evaluate his life without his prison of control, with a new eye to what matters and with his worst fears already faced.
The purpose of the game in my view is summarised as: "What do you get the man who has everything? You give him the appreciation that he has everything."
_The Game_ is one of my favorite paranoid thrillers and you and your sister's reaction lives up to it, Cassie. Carly has come a long way in a very short time. She's a critic and on-air talent now. She immediately picked up on this movie being a retelling of _A Christmas Carol_ with Nick van Orton as Scrooge. It took me a few years to realize that. Then, when you were at a loss for words or thought after the movie, Carly stepped in to wrap up the show. Great teamwork!
Yes! Just like "A Christmas Carol", with the timeline and some of the characters put in a blender. We start out “home movie style” with a memory of Nicholas as a child at his birthday party (ghost of Christmas past), then proceed immediately to the present day where he meets brother Conrad for lunch (meeting nephew Fred Holloway who invites his uncle Scrooge to Christmas dinner), then the firing of Anson Baer (threatening to fire Bob Cratchit). The TV news anchorman explaining the rules of the Game (Jacob Marley). To me, Deborah Kara Unger, as Christine--or CHRISTine) could be seen as the ghost of Christmas present, Nicholas' guide through the Game, without letting him know she was in on the Game. The ghost of Christmas future (or ghost of Christmas yet-to-come) had its biggest moment with Scrooge seeing his own tombstone in the cemetery, and Nicholas woke up (after being drugged) in a graveyard in Mexico (start of the 3rd act in the film), with him falling from the skyscraper near the end (Scrooge falling into his own grave site--even though that was in Disney's animated "A Christmas Carol" and not in other versions I've seen) and landing on the airbag marked with an “X” (“X” marks the spot) a changed man (like Scrooge landing on his bed at home, waking up to Christmas morning and buying the Christmas meal for Cratchit's family and accepting his nephew Fred's invitation to Christmas dinner-Nicholas attending his birthday party with Anson Baer and his brother Conrad in attendance). By the end of the film, Michael Douglas' character had transformed from Scrooge to St. Nick!
The time in cinema History when movies would really actually playing with your head in a mindblowing way... miss those days
Also the lack of smart phones allowed things to be more believably unpredictable.
The "twist" has become such a used trope that you can often smell it a mile away. Good mindfuck movies are still made occasionally, but they are so much rarer now.
Few studios are willing to risk anything but what is already selling. It's pretty much in the hand of indie directors to make movies that are at the edge of the Bell curve.
The Game, Seven and Fight Club are David Fincher's defining masterpieces.
Honestly dude, most of them are. Zodiac, Benjamin Button, Gone Girl, Social Network are also extremely good films. I even like his lesser acknowledged movies like Panic Room and Alien 3.
@@odinsahn7648 Anyone else, The Killer would be lost against Killers of the Flower Moon, and the general fall shuffle, but I have a feeling even a bad Fincher movie should still be very good, so I'm looking forward to it.
@@odinsahn7648 People forget about Alien 3. I would love to see his original treatment filmed. A wooden monastery planet? Fuck yeah. I imagine it like the library from The Name of the Rose.
@@gerrykavanagh I have the Assembly Cut which is better. More distinguished characters and more narrative to intensify the brooding atmosphere but nothing close to his original concept which you just stated. I would have found that to be more interesting. Maybe even the monastery mixed with the prison from In The Name Of The Father.
@@odinsahn7648Yep. Panic Room was quite good. I think there was a fifteen year period where Jodie Foster just made one excellent film after another. However, she rarely gets mentioned as one of the best actresses of her generation.
I remember seeing this in the movie theater back in 1997 and as it ended I heard black dude commenting "oh hell naw if anyone ever did that to me" and stuff like that and I couldn't stop laughing. He kinda felt like the blonde in the white shirt here so makes sense to feel like that. Crazy awesome movie ending though.
Wow, they really made you chop this one up! Loved the reaction, of course - one of the greatest mind-bender movies ever made. Your confused faces at the end were worth every second!
"What do you get for the man who has everything?" Happiness.
Great film, been years since I've seen it. Even though it's ridiculously far-fetched etc. the main point of the story hits hard and Michael Douglas sells it so well. A really effective, modern-day retelling of 'A Christmas Carol'.
One of my favorite movies ever! No Oscars! No awards! Just an amazing screenplay! Amazing atmospheric music that gets you in the mood!
Your reactions when the credits started rolling are priceless! What a great reaction to a crazy story.
Would love to see the two of you react to 'Memento'!
this
memento would be awesome
Memento would be too much brain work. 😂
@@errydm They could handle it, and Carly would probably figure it out before the end, just like she did on the original "Mission Impossible". What I'd really like to see is how they'd piece together "Mulholland Drive".
Yes, absolutely would love to see their reaction to "Memento"!
The same song plays during the house vandalization scene, and at the end when he's considering going to the airport. It's "White Rabbit," by Jefferson Airplane. Psychedelic song from the '60's, going down the rabbit hole.
The subtext being that Nicholas was becoming his father -- pushing those who care about him most away, growing more miserable and lonely -- and Conrad was afraid he would meet the same end one day. This "game" did a lot of things that many here have brought up, but it also proved Conrad right and pushed Nicholas to face losing everything he cared about and jumping as his father did, basically showing Nicholas that he was indeed headed towards his father's fate & knowing this allows him to change.
this is one of the best movie reaction channels out there. You select really good movies, so its nice when you kind of want to rewatch a movie, but dont want to invest a full 2 hours. You guys give a great presentation. its like watching with a friend.
Remember the psychological questionnaire in the beginning? That enabled CRS to predict his every move. He thanked Connie for the adventure of a lifetime. I know you watch Survivor. It's a horrible ordeal but almost everyone who plays it ends up praying they will get another chance to play.
I have watched a lot of your reactions and this is BY FAR my favorite! You responded so well to it from beginning to end and everything you felt was exactly what any of us felt who have seen the movie before. Well done, ladies, and thank you so much for not holding back on expressing the emotional roller coaster!
Now you see why The Game is one of your father's favorites.
I busted up laughing at 20:43 when Cassie says, "...he needs to call that number and be like "I'm out"..." 😆 🤣 😂
Your reaction at the conclusion of the movie means "you got the movie," or rather, "the movie got you" perfectly as was intended.
I always wondered if opting out was even an option...? Like maybe the waivers he signed were actually a contract to see 'the game' through to the end.
Yea the first time I watched this and still to this day it has the biggest twist and "omg" moment I've ever seen. It really kept me intrigued and into it the whole time. Criminally underrated.
The look on their face at the end is priceless.
26:06 "OMYGOSH The window-turner-thingy!"
Sentences like that is why I love this channel.
The guy that interviewed Michael Douglas, was the president’s right hand man in the movie Independence Day, he was also the automotive expert in the movie, my cousin Vinny.
Wasn't he in Contact? As the pushy Senator?
Don't forget. "IF I WERE THE MAN I WERE 5 YEARS AGO ID TAKE A FLAME THROWER TO THIS PLACE... ILL SHOW YOU OUT OF ORDER MR. TRASK ! "
What an absolute masterpiece that movie is. One of my favorites. One one hand the cinematography and soundwork is so relaxing, and on the other hand it slowly creates huge tension.
I saw the movie in cinema as a sneak preview and went WOW! This plot twist was A M A Z I N G! Thanks 4 watching, you two pretty ladies!
AAAAND it was a great movie cause you girls were SPEECHLESS at the end! 😄
David Fincher cemented himself as being my all time favorite director.
I'm proud of you, Carly, for sticking in there with your sister on watching this great movie thriller. You two showed a lot of stamina, although you both still show so many emotions during the playing of the Game. Congrats from me to you two.
I love showing people that movie for the first time so that they go through the same emotions as you both did at the end. Amazing movie!
FUN FACT: If you've ever played a Nintendo game with Mario (and even if you haven't), you'll be interested to know that the actor who played Nicholas and Conrad's suicidal father in the old "home movie" flashbacks has been *the* voice of Mario and other video game characters for over 30 years. He officially retired from his role as a voice actor for Nintendo just last month (Aug. 2023), and he is now a "Mario Ambassador" for Nintendo, whatever that means. 🤓
Omg. What a weird fun fact. Curious how he got the role in this.
@@ct6852 ruclips.net/video/jcdIqTFgWRA/видео.htmlsi=uIaavN8IYznUc3Cq
@@ct6852 ruclips.net/video/jcdIqTFgWRA/видео.htmlsi=NWgPf46rebvDQyRW
It's why film is the best form of art, IMO. You get a director or writer's vision for a story that may or may not be based in total reality. It's an interpretation through a visual medium of what is locked in someone's head. You can't take film literally. I experienced this film similar to you guys the first time I watched it. I tried to fit the scenes into my version of reality and it was a square peg in a round hole. But if you just appreciate it for what it is and enjoy the ride, you realize you just watched a concept unfold that you never imagined. For whatever this film is, it is unique. Thanks for reacting! I know it was a hard one to watch but those are the ones that might make you think more than others.
One of my all time favorite movies. Unfortunately you can only enjoy it the way you did once. I wish I could go back and watch it for the first time all over again. Loved your reactions.
The look on the sisters face when he landed in the airbag was Priceless!!
23:38 Playing the jump scares back in slo-mo so hilarious! 😂
The game was on us. These actors, including Michael Douglass, took us on a wild ride and made us try to figure it out.
From the moment he accepted the card from his brother, the game began. And yes, the bill for this game cost 6-7 figures. The secret behind it was there were safety features throughout, in case he endangered himself. Even the gun he found in his home. They already knew about it, and played along as though it was real. The guys shooting at him were shooting blanks. The so-called bullet hits on the walls, ceilings, etc were special effects like in a Hollywood film. He was never in any danger of being shot, he just didn't know that, which was the idea.
really? they knew he would point the gun at the precise spots he did and planted squibs there??? way too far-fetched to be realistic. suppose he had drowned, or any other scenario out of their control? and after the Big Reveal he immediately calms down from his hyper-vigilance and shrugs everything off with hugs and kisses?? The psyche doesn't work that way in humans.
It works both ways though. Eye witnesses to crimes SWEAR by what they saw until they are confronted with objective security camera footage that doesn't match what they stated at all. Under stress, your mind fills in certain details, glosses over some and completely invents others. They explained that they had divers near the car, etc. It's a lot of the reason why the bill was stratospheric: they would have had to have had alternate set-ups waiting in the wings all the time ready to go. What if he doesn't get in the cab that drives into the river? Then we send a tow truck since he pressed the Onstar button.....@@jollyrodgers7272
@@jollyrodgers7272 It's unrealistic yes. Like when he fires at the private investigators car, the bullet hit effect triggers at exact correct spot in the cars hood, on the exact right moment. It would be just impossible to predict where he will shoot the gun, if at all. You have to suspend your disbelief for this one. However I disagree with what you said last about the psyche thing
@@jollyrodgers7272 you apparently didn't hear when they said there was a diver in the water, should he not have managed to escape. This film wasn't meant to be real anyway, so I don't understand why you are getting so bent. But neither does it bother me. You seem to think you are an expert in the human psyche, but be careful, most of us know what an expert is.
@@jollyrodgers7272 She leads the escape route during the shootout and he follows her which makes sense because he doesn't know the place and following her steps is a natural instinct, that's basicly why they knew where to plant the squibs. Plus, they might have had planted them to more places than they've used and carefully triggered only the ones that are necessary in the action. As the actor guy said "if you didn't jump, I'd have to push you" at the final party in the end, they might have had many scenarios ready based on his reactive (but fairly predictable) choices in different situations. So, it's not that they're necessarily leading him to a very concrete scripted path during the game, but they're orchestrating an interactive game with some flexibly set milestone events. It's still extremely hard to pull off but it's not as close to impossible as you think in the first place provided there's a huge production team behind it as implied in the movie.
"What do you give the man who has everything?"
"We supply.....what is lacking."
"Finding out the object of The Game, is the Game."
"For once I was blind, now I can see".
That's The Game in a nutshell.
You should also check out the 2018 film "Game Night" with Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams. It is described as an action comedy film.
I was so thrilled when you announced that you would be watching this movie, having Carly join you made it even better.
I honestly don't know how you could've handled this movie without Carly.
This was going to be a "Usual Suspects" or "Unbreakable" reaction, and it was spectacular.
Many people scoff at this movie for how it bends reality, which it does, however, this movie is made in such a smart way that you don't even care about the absurdities.
Michael Douglas owns this movie. One of his best performances ever.
It's frustrating that this movie is not well remembered as one of his top movies he was in, nor as a top movie in general.
I love the looks on both of your faces as the movie ends, absolutely priceless.
Your analyses are spot on too. Carly referencing Scrooge and you saying that "We are the mark" are great observations.
In the end, I hope you both enjoyed this movie. You were both very subdued, and Cassie you had that look of disapproval on your face.
Thanks again for watching this movie, and for giving all of us the reaction we knew you would have.
This is your best sisters reaction yet. Now that you've seen it, imagine seeing it again with someone who is watching it for the first time. That's the joy you just gave to us. Thank you.
Now imagine seeing this reaction of sisters reacting to this for the first time...only to see it pulled down...and posted again to watch for the second time.
Sorry, I gotta say The Invisible Man tops this one. Don't get me wrong, this one is great.
@@NativeNewMexican The one with Elizabeth Moss?
@@ct6852 Yeah, their reaction to it is THE BEST! I keep a public playlist of the best reactions I find on my channel, feel free to look it over.
@@NativeNewMexican Vaguely remember them doing that one. Do distinctly remember their jump scare when he runs out of the woods toward the car. Lol.
People should appreciate the final song... Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit
And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
...
When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's off with her head
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head
Feed your head
I love this movie alot. Wish hollywood could make movies like this still.
David Fincher is a master filmmaker! You need to see Social Network, Panic Room, Seven, and Zodiac next... so many good movies to try.
Michael Douglas was also in a great movie called Falling Down. You should check it out.
He needed a wakeup call. He needed to experience life in an intense manner to snap him out of his bleak existence.
This was such an awesome movie
One of the most trippy and awesome films ever made! Michael Douglas is absolutely among the top tier actors of our time and this film just takes you for a total ride. Falling Down is another masterpiece starring Michael. What a twist as well…so brilliant!
I remember when this movie came out! Definitely One of my favorite movies 🎬 😉👍
Sooo good!! I really appreciate the ST! Thank you!!
Welcome to the world of director David Fincher! 😂 epic twists and turns, mind bending 😅
Enjoyed this reaction, never seen this movie myself. You may enjoy a movie called "Sleuth" 1972 with Lawrence Olivier & Micheal Cain. A suspensefull drama based on a kind of "game" mentality also.
Yes for "Sleuth"! And then, a decade later, catch Caine in "Deathtrap" (1982) opposite Christopher Reeve (not playing Superman, lol). A clever little film.
There is a 1944 film "Gaslight" that is a remake of a 1940 British film called "Gaslight" (which was called "Angel Street" in the US), which are both worthy of a look.
When he runs into his ex wife the first time he apologizes sincerely, the game is already working at that point.
What are you talking about???????????????
@@tavonfenwick-yb5xvThe Game
what is wrong with u?@@tavonfenwick-yb5xv
@@tavonfenwick-yb5xvhe became a better person
Micheal Douglas!
Great actor , The Game and Falling Down are some of my favorite movies ever made
Maybe my favorite reaction on the channel, one of my fav movies. Sadly it won't perform as well as something like "Saving Private Ryan" because not a lot of people know this movie. Hope you can do this kind of "conversation evoking" movies together. It makes it better because you exchange thoughts in a natural dialog when there's two people
Cassie: "We were the mark!"
Carly: "It was 'an experience'".
Yes, and yes. Amazing film. I love how you both begged for and were furious at the Scrooge ending. :D
Definitely a unique movie!
So are each and all?
What's up world✌🏼
This movie was a trip, I didn't know what to believe it was like a roller coaster that kept gaining speed and then went out of control 😂 but I enjoyed it, cool reaction video ladies,
Another confusing yet awsome film that i once saw is "Vanilla sky" with Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz. ✌🏼
On top of him realising his own life and the people in it were passing him by, I also feel that the trauma from his father's death felt permanent to him. To show it needn't be, and that he could embrace life required the huge barrage of traumas he faced leading ultimately to his brother's death - an unimaginable loss on top of losing his father. But this time, he's offered sanctuary and support in a happy ending and is awoken to the fact that he is capable of dealing with trauma when he reaches out to others instead of staying closed off. There are so many levels to this film and I reacted the same way the first time I saw it - just horrifying 🙃 I'm yet to watch a David Fincher film I don't love🥰
The guy was like, 13 when that happened and he was the one who had to step up and run the family. It's not his goddamn fault. How the hell is he *supposed* to turn out?
Exactly my point, lol. Never for one minute implied it was his fault. Trauma victims ae victims. Deeply sad that he had to go through it and had become stuck in his life and disconnected from those around him. Very easy to relate to. @@Theomite
@@yzolakitchi Right, but the idea that the traumatized person has to be RE-TRAUMATIZED by the very people who aren't carrying that trauma themselves gets completely glossed over and even considered acceptable. They just unilaterally decide (or fate does in the case of say, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE) to completely wreck the life this person built out of the ruins of their previous life that someone else wrecked. It judges the victim.
@@Theomite Yes, totally agree. I think the sisters were spot on in their horror at what was done to him. Unforgiveable in my opinion to put him through such an ordeal. Glad it's just a movie, can't imagine anyone doing this to a loved one in real life. It feels like the writer wanted to see how far the notions of 'tough love/it's for your own good, you'll thank us one day' might be pushed. Given it came out in 1997, I'm glad for the advances made in understanding and treating trauma. As someone who has been in and out of the mental health system for more than 20 years, I can't imagine any professional condoning such an approach. I have however experienced punitive care approaches (far less horrific than the movie, but upsetting nonetheless!) from staff who saw any patient as a naughty child who needed to be blamed and put in their place.🤔
This was the first David Fincher movie I ever saw (my local video store only had one copy of “Seven” that was constantly checked out). I knew given his MTV background, he had a flare for being twisted, but 20 minutes into this movie, I was hooked. I really admire that he never lets the audience off easy.
I actually found out that Chicago actually had a service that was based off the idea in this movie. You run around the city looking for clues to solve a mystery and you'd have people chasing you down trying to stop you.
I would be so in on that in a heart beat!
The advantage movies have is that there are no coincidences in them. Everything is controlled by the script.
If CRS were real, they would be the most powerful organization in the world. Fun thing is, it turned out to be a benevolent conspiracy.
Part of why The Game is a tearjerker is because CRS is Nicholas's paid chaperone on a depressing birthday. They guide him through the exposure therapy of jumping off a roof which has been on his mind and catch him when he falls.
This movie is awesome. All the twists and turns are great. Another great Michael Douglas movie Wall Street (1987)
Michael Douglas is just awesome in this movie...
In fact, he's awesome in every movie he's done... and he's done so many great ones: "Running", "The China Syndrome", "The War of the Roses", "Black Rain", "Coma", "A Chorus Line", "Falling Down", "Traffic", "Wonder Boys", "Wall Street", "Fatal Attraction", "The Jewel of the Nile"...
I'm glad your reactions to him jumping off the building was reinserted.
Second that. That was gold.
One of the best movies ever made!
The look on your faces at the end....priceless
Also those twin gasps with the 'Nichols!!' fade out.
I haven't watched this in forever. But always one of my favorites. So glad you threw it back on my radar.
For more Michael Douglas, I'd really recommend Black Rain (1989) - Directed by Ridley Scott and with Andy Garcia co-starring.
And 'Disclosure'.
It is Fincher+Hitchcock, still think this is his best movie, even after knowing the twist.
This is the only DF movie i rewatch, because MD is so good in this.
Loved your reactions to the film. I felt the same way watching it when it came out. I was like this guy is having the worse day ever.
Agreed, the absolute worst day.
I remember seeing this in the theater. He was forced to confront all of his fears. Stripped naked.
If you haven't watched it already, I highly recommend "Gone Girl", it's from the same director. I would love to see your reactions on this.
I intially wanted to watch that one, but then I read a book review which spoiled the premise. And that completely took away all my inclinations of ever doing so. The premise IS the story, you can't give that away.
@@Quotenwagnerianer Don't ever judge a movie by the book - that is my belief as a movie lover.
And don't ever judge a book by the movie. Both are completely different ways of storytelling, even if a book can thrive ones cinematic imagination or a film adaptation can be "by the book". I only know "Gone Girl" as a movie, it was one of the most mind-blowing cinematic experiences of the last 10 years, but then it was so because no one spoiled it for me.
The issue is not the storytelling, the issue is familiarity with the twist of the story. If you know that half of the fun of the story, and the movie are gone.@@CaStumpe75
This is one of those movies I went to see when it was in theaters, bought on vhs and DVD, and have watched I don't know how many times. For me, it's on my list of the top ten psychological thrillers of the '90s. It's one of those matryoshka movies where just when you're sure you know what's going on or what's going to happen next, up pops another little surprise until you have to stop guessing and just let the story have its way with you.
3rd time is the charm I hope. I'll leave another like of course. I also wanted to thank whoever gifted me the membership during The Game reaction the other day.😊
Like your blue star. It's pretty.
Remember, early in the movie his friend said he had been through the game and when asked what the point was, he said "I was blind, but now I see". The whole point of the game is to remind people what is really important: family, the people you care about, etc. Not the material things.
A great movie.
The younger brother gave his brother the best birthday gift.
The older brother always felt guilty about his father’s suicide so I guess this was therapy??
Guilty? How can a small boy feel guilty for his father's suicide?
@@shredd5705 How can kids feel guilty for their parents divorcing?
Ask people, there are a lot of things that make them question themselves.
Whatever happened before he saw his father jumping is what made him feel that way.
That's the main reason for the trauma of losing someone dear.
But I am not a psychologist, someone with more expertise may explain.
@@Cau_No Well if you're terrible kid who tormented his family, then maybe. Otherwise divorce is between parents, not kids. Even if you feel "guilty" as a child, at least when you're adult, you must realize it wasn't you who took the divorce. Nick Van Orton was 48, I doubt he would think it was his fault. I think his father in the movie killed himself for work reasons. At least his housekeeper (who knew the family well) said this in one scene. "I think he simply worked too much", she says
Simple, small children take things like this deep into their souls depending on the circumstances. Hence the premise of the movie.@@shredd5705
This is the dark and elaborate games only rich people can play. One of my favourite movies, classic David Fincher. Great reaction.
Very much looking forward to seeing the ghost and the darkness reaction. There are 2 other Michael Douglas movies I'd like to suggest. Falling down and Black rain but they are darker and grittier showcases of his acting skills and not typical Cassie movies.
im here when he is "falling down"
Basic Instinct
Wall Street
D Fense yeah Falling Down! 🎉
Falling Down is his best role and a great film
It's so great that you're reacting to this! This is one of my favorite movies of the 90s. I wish more would react to it.
This was a fun game if you ignore the obvious psychological trauma and damage occurred by the victim.
"My life is a paradise, if you ignore the bad part".
When your dad (or family) recommend a movie you should do a phone call with him (them) when you do the final review. The Game is a move that you should watch it again to catch all the subtle things that happen. I agree that it is an AWESOME move.
Yes, it took everything that happened to Nicholas to break him. “I once blind but now I can see.”
two beautiful ladies why did the owner of the channel publish her reaction to this film in the form of a video for the second time, after all, her reaction was published yesterday ?
@@Arthurm25 Cassie IS the channel owner! A re-edit was necessary due to some limitations with content guidelines.
@@Coleton.B. okay maybe Cassie is single ?
@@Arthurm25 Cassie is a happily married woman! Not sure why this matters?
@@Coleton.B. damn and her friend ?
Fun fact: Johnie's Coffee Shop at 31:43 has been used in a few movies. Most famously in 'Heat', for the post security van heist meet-up.