Revealing mistake: When Nick is being followed by the PI, several times Nick's speedometer is seen to be at zero. (00:58:40)
The Game (1997)
1 revealing mistake
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger, James Rebhorn
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)
Nicholas: Seymour Butts. Never get tired of that one.
Trivia: Director David Fincher has admitted since the release of "The Game" that he wasn't pleased with the way the third act of the film turned out and he believes he probably shouldn't have made the film. He said that he and the writers had trouble coming up with a satisfactory ending, and that his longtime girlfriend and producing partner Ceán Chaffin tried to persuade him to drop out of the project as a result. He was quoted as saying: "We didn't figure out the third act, and it was my fault, because I thought if you could just keep your foot on the throttle it would be liberating and funny."
Question: Why did Nicholas react very rudely when his assistant wished him a happy birthday?
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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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.
Tailkinker ★