Character actor James Rebhorn passed away on Mar. 21, 2014
Before I refer to the main title, I must first announce that long-time character actor James Rebhorn passed away last week at the age of 65.
Though perhaps not a household name, the tall balding man (who looked the same age for as long as I can remember) will surely be missed, as he played small yet memorable roles for more than 30 years.
Some of his highlights have to be recent recurring television roles on Homeland and White Collar, and in movies such as Independence Day, Carlito’s Way, Scent of a Woman, Basic Instinct, and My Cousin Vinny.
Though we may always remember the likes of Will Smith, Al Pacino, Sharon Stone, or Joe Pesci, it is lesser known character actors that help propel these memorable movies to their enviable spot in movie history.
He also appeared in the movie I am reviewing today. Now, back to the title. A difficult question these days, yet I hope we, as a society, never get so spoiled that the only gift left for us to receive is the present Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is given from his brother Conrad (Sean Penn) on his 48th birthday in the 1997 film The Game.
Michael Douglas plays a wealthy banker, a role that falls nicely into his repertoire, who has all the creature comforts: a beautiful car, a large mansion, and all the money a person could want.
His brother, who is very much the opposite of him, presents Nicholas with a gift for the man who has everything — a live action game that is developed around his own life and history.
The rich financier decides he is curious enough to play — visiting the company’s headquarters and getting tested by Jim Feingold (Rebhorn) to create the perfect game for him.
It is at this point that the mysterious thriller takes off.
Director David Fincher, whose iconic movies include Se7en, Fight Club, The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (American version), weaves a mysterious roller coaster of a tale that takes the rich man into a bizarre and often scary world where the audience begins to wonder what is really going on. We do not know what or who we can trust, from his brother Conrad to the pretty yet cryptic woman Christine (Deborah Kara Unger).
This is a gripping and creepy story that develops toward a memorable finale with some great twists right up to the final moments.
One chill-worthy moment worth mentioning is the role the life-sized clown doll plays when it appears suddenly in Nicholas’ driveway. For those of you who are afraid of clowns — beware!
This is only the beginning, and these odd events continuously escalate into larger and more threatening moments, such as a taxi cab plunging Nicholas into the frigid, dark waters off of a pier.
There are a few things that are wrong with this film. Firstly, it is too long and would have been better if it had been edited down to a two hour movie. Also, for those of you who like more plausible stories, this is not for you.
In order to enjoy the tale to the fullest, you must allow yourself to be drawn into the film and accept where this ride takes you. Overall, if you are in the mood for a suspenseful 90’s thriller with superb acting and a unique ending, there is only one question: are you ready to play the game?