Filmmaker reacts to The Game (1997) for the FIRST TIME! 

Absolutely agree - this is a really underrated film, beautifully shot and crafted.

Wouldn’t have worked without the hospital black out screen. It was the Turning point

Well said!!

Correct!!

It's still the same Scrooge/George Bailey problem everybody forgets: the protagonist's sickness is *not their fault.* Nicholas even tells Conrad "Did I have a choice?!" He had to step up and take charge of affairs before he was mature enough. The burden of that responsibility will dramatically reshape a person's identity, and against their will. But those actions allowed Nicholas to prosper and even support Conrad, who went the opposite direction after the death and became reckless. These characters have all had to make drastic personal sacrifices due to dire situations beyond their control in order to protect their loved ones. And then those loved ones have the nerve to be surprised at the people they turn into. So these protagonists have their entire psyches broken and re-forged MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION by not just life but by the very people they love. It's a massive betrayal and we're supposed to be okay with it because it's "for their own good." But notice that these people have no problem benefitting from the actions of these people for years before deciding to "help" them. Conrad certainly isn't gonna refund Nicholas for all the money he used up in the past; Clarence didn't intervene in George Bailey's life earlier to make a better difference; and the Ghosts of Christmas waited until Scrooge was almost damned before they woke him up, long after his ability to improve his own life was over.

@@Theomite I... I have no words, that was an epic response. I wish I could thumbs that up twice.

@@Theomite Wow, brilliantly articulated! I totally agree that what CRS is doing is FAR from "unambiguously good" - merely that it likely has had a "good" effect in helping Nicholas change course in life. But you're absolutely correct that the end result doesn't excuse the ethical and moral problems with how they operate. That said, I also don't think the movie necessarily comments on whether or not CRS is "right" or "wrong" for doing what they do - it merely shows that Nicholas seems okay with it (much like Scrooge and George were). EDIT: Also, at least in this case, there's a valid reason why the "intervening power" didn't intervene in Nicholas's life sooner: unlike angels or ghosts, CRS has to wait until Nicholas (somewhat unknowingly) gives them legal consent to upend and transform his life.

It…it sure is!

It…it sure is!

Thanks Netflix synopsis

This is a case where many people, including this reactor, did see the ending coming except the movie keeps faking them out.

yeah, even if you guess it's still all a game, I wonder how many still think it's part of the game after the brother is 'shot' that second twist is something that really screws with you.

I can quickly count at least 7 reaction videos, to this movie. I've watched several of them, in the past.

@@akyhne well not everyone is subscribed to the same people but I hear ya. That’s awesome

You took the words out of my mouth and commented first. Ty.

Me too, I spent years trying to get anyone, ANYONE to react to it. I gave up, but James here did it. Happy birthday to me I guess.

Happy to hear this Kevin! You’re the man. Stay cool brother!

I still want a goddamn answer as to WHY Nicholas didn't fall to his death in front of his friends, which in my opinion, would've been the perfect cap to the story. If I ever meet Fincher, the second thing I'm going to say to him is "So what was up with the ending to THE GAME?"

I never had a problem with the 3rd act. I thought the ending was fine.

@@Theomite Because it's not directed by Darren Aronofsky.

@@MamadNobari lol I also would have accepted Michael Haneke.

@@Theomite i just saw the film and had the same thought, Nicholas absolutely should have died at the end.

The only problem I have with this film is him not punching every last one of those assholes who did this to him in the teeth, especially his brother, instead of just laughing and going along with them like nothing happened.

The theory is that people's personalities change when something incredibly intense and spectacular happens to them.

​​@@MamadNobari Exactly what I always thought. Just the normal thing a sane person would do, but maybe that experience already affected his mental health at that point...

​@Mamad Nobari he didn't because when he jumped he had come to terms with how bad his life was. Realizing that everyone present at the party knew that and decided to help in his "resurrection" immediately made him forgive their extreme methods. Is it plausible? Maybe not for you and me but we are not like Van Orten so there's that.

​@@MamadNobariif he would of done that what would he then learned?

Hello James :) im not sure if you are up to watch foreign movies but i reccomend you to watch Nueve Reinas (Nine queens) not even here doing a reaction just a movie to look up in your free time. The only thing is the audio but for many years the audio was the big problem in movies from my country.

Der Name der Rose (1986) please!.

It's my birthday today!

SLACKER. Hopefully.

"My soul came out of my ass!" needs to be on a T-Shirt. Get those $$

I still don't understand how it works out in the end. He was driven to suicide by The Game. Just because he survives doesn't mean he stops being suicidal. If it's a whole "real life Flatliner" thing where you bring someone to rock bottom to get them a Moment of Clarity, it's reckless and also condescending: it puts all the onus on the protagonist to change when the protagonist is who they are specifically because of *them.* "Yeah, ignore all the shit and toil you went through to become who you've become and let go an become who you are" is extremely toxic bullshit.

@@Theomite I don't think that was the tone the movie was going for. You're describing a more grounded, realistic film about suicide when this movie feels like a modern retelling of a fable or fairy tale (think Christmas Carol) where the cathartic end is essential.

Not much of a theory that's pretty much what happens with severe trauma.

It's a great film, but it was sandwiched between Se7en and Fight Club. Add that to the poor box office showing, and it falls between the cracks a lot.

I never got the feeling that Nicholas blamed himself for his father's suicide, only that he was broken by the loss and crushing responsibility left in the wake of it.

@@Theomite I agree. I did get the impression from the "memory" segments that his dad may have been a bit cold to him, and that Nicholas felt this and thought this was a factor, but didn't blame himself.

Great comparison! I’m a big Christmas Carol fan and never made this obvious connection

Me too, my eyes even leaked a little just watching that part in this reaction.

Me too! Thought I was the only one getting over emotional lol

@@vapor4 Heck no! You’re not alone, friend. 👊

Anytime! Happy to have watched it :)

OBS is a great app to use for this! :)

@James VS Cinema no, that's not what I meant. Do you use physical media, streaming or digital copies you've purchased? Or maybe a combination?

😂😂😂

Hands are indeed rated E FOR EVERYONE

Doing so good! Thank you

😂😂

Hahahaha I’m evolving muhaha!