director david fincher has such an eye for detail which is very rare in hollywood these days ( terry gilliam comes to mind as another one ) . 
film is one of the best art forms because not only can you tell a story , but you can use the camera to capture the smallest detail and have it mean something . 
but most directors seem to go for action with the slightest ounce of a story . 
so whenever a director uses the camera to its fullest potential , the film almost automatically deserves a good review . 
and when they add a fascinating story to it , you have nearly perfect entertainment . 
fincher's the game is no exception to this . 
the game is one of the most interesting and complex films to come out of hollywood in a long time . 
fincher hasn't made a film since " seven , " his box office and critical hit which defied expectations and became one of the best movies ever . 
so it is about time he made another film . 
and what a ride it is . 
the game isn't quite as powerful as " seven , " but in some ways it is better . 
overall , the game could have used a little more clarity , or a little more uncertainty . 
it walks a line of insanity and reality , but it never goes either way until the very end . 
the outcome is satisfying enough for the preceding events , and it makes a lot of sense once everything is set straight . 
unfortunately , unlike " the usual suspects , " we are never given enough information to figure out for ourselves what is happening , whether it be true or false . 
however , this also gives the film a frightening aspect which the game uses to the fullest extent . 
the game is told completely from its main character's point of view . 
nicholas van orton ( michael douglas ) is a high-strung and isolated businessman . 
he lives alone in his giant mansion , divorced from his wife elizabeth , and is celebrating his 48th birthday ; the same age at which his father committed suicide at , in the same mansion . 
for his 48th birthday , conrad ( sean penn ) , the rebel of the family , gives nicholas a gift certificate to crs : consumer recreation services . 
 " it will make your life fun again , " his brother promises . 
as skeptical as nicholas is , he is somewhat intrigued , and annoyed by the lack of information--something this businessman hates . 
seeing a billboard in an office , he decides to visit the mysterious company . 
jim feingold ( james rebhorn ) greets nicholas and guides him through the sign-up process , which consists of psych-tests , physicals , emotional responses , and other mind games . 
 " each game is suited to each person's emotional and psychological needs , " explains feingold . 
one day , nicholas gets a call from crs and they explain that he failed the tests . 
even more intrigued and now somewhat angered at the time he spent signing up , he starts asking around to see what people can tell him about the company . 
what he doesn't realize is that the game has already begun . 
the phone call is just the first of many strange events to be thrown nicholas' way . 
how he finds out that he is involved has to be witnessed because it is amusing and fun and visually impressive . 
the detail involved in fincher's shots is incredible and almost requires a second viewing just to appreciate the effort that went into them . 
with " seven , " fincher had almost every single shot mean something . 
he also has the unique ability to make you look at exactly what he wants you to . 
compared to " seven , " though , the game is light and comical . 
because of this film's sense of humor and self-awareness , nothing can be taken quite seriously . 
so don't try to make much sense of what goes on in the game , because it doesn't want you to . 
what does make sense is the final revelation--when everything becomes apparent and clear . 
if taken as it is , the game's ending makes complete sense . 
but if you try and critique every minute detail , then you get yourself into plot holes and incredibility . 
perhaps that is the reason i docked the film . 
while trying to remain realistic and plausible , the plot is too unbelievable to create any real tension on screen . 
we don't really care if douglas' character lives or not because it isn't believable . 
the ending requires you to have believed anything that has happened previously , but if you suspend disbelief and take the film as it is , you can accept the game as an emotionally and psycholically disturbing thriller . 
michael douglas gives a terrific performance as nicholas . 
douglas has played lonely businessmen before , but here he adds another level to his performance . 
his character , who is normally level-headed and relies on facts , is forced to trust nobody . 
can he believe the waitress he bumped into ? 
what about his brother who got him involved in the game in the first place ? 
douglas portrays this aspect of his character extremely well , and gives one of his best performances ( even better than his " falling down " persona ) . 
the supporting cast is essential in this film , and casting was critical . 
sean penn is always good , and he gives yet another credible performance as douglas' brother . 
deborah kara unger ( from " crash " ) is the waitress he bumps into , and her performance is extremely good . 
in fact , she almost steals the film from douglas . 
james rebhorn portrays his character very well , and adds some confusion and desparation to douglas' predicament . 
another good performance comes from armin mueller-stahl ( from " shine " ) as the book editor . 
but considering that douglas is in every single scene of the game , he not only commands this cast , but makes this distant and lonely character come to colorful life . 
the game is rated r for language , violence , some gore , and some nudity and drugs . 
what is essential for this film to work is the writing . 
john brancato and michael ferris have woven a confusing and compelling screenplay with witty dialogue , and some very funny moments . 
this screenplay will probably get an oscar nomination for best original screenplay because it does almost exactly the same thing the usual suspects' did . 
however , the visuals of the game are enough to make the viewer enjoy the vexing plot . 
and if you can get yourself to believe everything occuring on the screen , you will be thoroughly entertained by one of this year's best films .