The Game (1997 film)

The Game
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDavid Fincher
Written byJohn Brancato
Michael Ferris
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyHarris Savides
Edited byJames Haygood
Music byHoward Shore
Production
company
Distributed byPolyGram Films
Release date
  • September 12, 1997 (1997-09-12)
Running time
128 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$70 million
Box office$109.4 million

The Game is a 1997 American mystery thriller film directed by David Fincher, starring Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger and James Rebhorn and produced by Propaganda Films and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. It tells the story of a wealthy investment banker who is given a mysterious birthday gift by his brother—participation in a game that integrates in strange ways with his everyday life. As the lines between the banker's real life and the game become more uncertain, hints of a larger conspiracy begin to unfold.

The Game was well received by critics like Roger Ebert and major periodicals like The New York Times, but had middling box-office returns compared to the success of Fincher's previous film Se7en (1995). The film later gained a strong cult following among Fincher's fans, with some noting it as one of his most underrated films.