Rent The Game (1997)

A unique movie with highly unexpected and dramatic developments from start to finish - The Game review by Philip in Paradiso

Successful but lonely investment banker Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas), who is based in San Francisco, is about to turn 48. For Nicholas's 48th birthday, Conrad, his brother (Sean Penn), presents him with a gift: a voucher allowing Nicholas to take part in a game offered by a company going by the name of Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Hesitant at first, Nicholas decides to play the game; he is told it will change his life.

What follows is a thriller-like storyline that is full of unexpected twists and turns. Although implausible in many respects, the story is still utterly fascinating, as you wonder where the game is going to take Nicholas next. And the game in question plays on raw emotions in a way that can be rather cruel at times. What is the game about? What (and who) is part of it, and what (and who) isn't? What is the aim of the game? When will it end?

Without ever indulging in philosophizing, the movie asks deeper questions, if only indirectly. Is life itself a game? Who is acting, and who isn't? Who is reliable in that game? What are the rules, if any? Where does the game end and 'reality' begin? Isn't the reality of the game as real as life itself? The film will keep you guessing to the end. In this respect, it is highly successful and highly unusual. It is not predictable. It will surprise you and confuse you, just like the game that Nicholas Van Orton is playing.

Centred primarily on the character played by Michael Douglas, this is a truly excellent film. Michael Douglas' outstanding acting makes all of it highly believable while you are watching the movie: just like him, you are caught up in the game. Within the parameters that it sets itself, this film is a masterpiece.