Deliberate mistake: Every time Nicholas enters his gate at home, it's daylight and then when he drives up to the house it is night. Either he has a 300 mile property or there is something else going on. It would appear that it is deliberate as it happens many times in the film. Symbolically, Nick is leaving the world as he appears with wealth and privilege (light) and entering the real van Orton world of solitude and sadness (dark). (00:09:00 - 00:09:55)
The Game (1997)
1 deliberate mistake
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger, James Rebhorn
Plot hole: At the end, when Nick is on the roof and everyone is behind the metal doors, you hear the saws trying cut through the door and the sparks flying. Immediately when they cut through, the doors swing open and everyone is standing right up front with Champagne glasses. No one is holding any saws or equipment or have any in front of them. Nor was there any time for the people cutting the doors to run to the back to hide behind everyone else since the sparks fly right up until the doors swing wide open. (01:53:40)
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Suggested correction: There's enough time from when the last lock is cut for Christine to shout "He's got a gun, get away from the door." I counted about 7 seconds before the doors opened. Plenty of time for people with cutting equipment to take a few steps out of the way.
Nicholas: Seymour Butts. Never get tired of that one.
Trivia: The final party scene was filmed over a three night period at the real Palace Hotel. To save money, the same food was used all three nights, which stank up the place for days.
Question: Why did Nicholas react very rudely when his assistant wished him a happy birthday?
Chosen answer: Nicholas' father committed suicide on his 48th birthday, something that has haunted Nicholas ever since. Nicholas himself has now reached the same birthday, putting him in a very sour mood and in no place to receive birthday wishes cordially.
Answer: No, he admits to his ex-wife after 11:40pm that day that he didn't even realise he was the same age as when his father committed suicide until she just brought it up. I'm guessing he was annoyed because he was just a grumpy man and was resentful of celebrating his birthday due to the painful memories associated with his father.
I always thought he was lying or being sarcastic when he said that.
Answer: The story parallels "A Christmas Carol" with Nicholas being a modern day mirror to Ebenezer Scrooge. When wished "Merry Christmas" Ebenezer famously would say "Humbug." When wished "Happy Birthday", Nicholas is equally as unhappy with the sentiment "I don't like her" he says to his assistant.
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