I was really looking forward to this film. As soon as I found out that David Fincher was releasing another movie, I was ready to see it (David Fincher directed "Seven"). Well, though I DID enjoy the movie, I gotta admit that I was a bit disappointed. Telling you why may reveal one of the surprises, so I can't really get into it. I WILL say that it's got mostly to do with the script, not with David Fincher 's directing, which was expectedly superb.
The movie was well-acted, but I think that has more to do with good casting than anything else (not that I'm trying to take anything away from the fine performances by the actors). Michael Douglas as a cold, arrogant rich guy isn't a challenge for him. He's done it before, and he's done it well, most notably in "Wall Street." Sean Penn as a mysterious, but wacky guy is something he's done several times before. The one to watch here is Deborah Kara Unger ("Crash," "Highlander III," "Whispers in the Dark") as the waitress. She looks like a tormented Michelle Pfeiffer, and it's hard to keep your eyes off of her. It's not her looks so much as her... presence.
When the movie
was over, I realized that if it was directed by someone else, my expectations
may not have been as high, so I may have enjoyed it more, but "The Game"
was directed by the guy who did "Seven," ya know? He did a great job, though.
What it comes down to is it was a great-looking film made from an okay script.