Episode 27

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Published on:

18th Apr 2022

The Game Vs. The Firm (Ep. 0027)

The Game and The Firm pull back the curtain on what happens when the pursuit of wealth, status, and power is turned on its head. Michael Douglas and Tom Cruise enter worlds where nothing is what it seems. Join the Movie Wars crew as they dissect the breakneck twists and turns of these masterfully made thrillers.

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Film Summaries (courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes) 

The Game

Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is a successful banker who keeps mostly to himself. When his estranged brother Conrad (Sean Penn) returns on his birthday with an odd gift -- participation in a personalized, real-life game -- Nicholas reluctantly accepts. Initially harmless, the game grows increasingly personal, and Orton begins to fear for his life as he eludes agents from the mysterious game's organizers. With no one left to trust and his money gone, Orton must find answers for himself.

  • Rating: R
  • Genre: Mystery & Thriller
  • Original Language: English
  • Director: David Fincher
  • Producer: Steve Golin, Ceán Chaffin
  • Writer: Michael Ferris, John D. Brancato
  • Release Date (Streaming): Apr 26, 2011
  • Box Office (Gross USA): $48.3M
  • Runtime: 2h 8m

(https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_game)

The Firm

A young lawyer joins a small but prestigious law firm only to find out that most of their clients are on the wrong side of the law. The company is helping to launder mob money, get clients off charges and even murder partners who threaten to blow their cover, but when the FBI come calling to gather evidence on the lawyer's colleagues, he is caught between a rock and a hard place, juggling his life and his liberty.

  • Rating: R
  • Genre:Mystery & Thriller, Drama
  • Original Language: English
  • Director: Sydney Pollack
  • Producer: Scott Rudin, John Davis, Sydney Pollack
  • Writer: David Rabe, Robert Towne, David Rayfiel
  • Release Date (Theaters): Jun 30, 1993  Wide
  • Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2000
  • Box Office (Gross USA): $157.0M
  • Runtime: 2h 34m

(https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1044522-firm)

Transcript

The Game and The Firm pull back the curtain on what happens when the pursuit of wealth, status, and power is turned on its head. Michael Douglas and Tom Cruise enter worlds where nothing is what it seems. Join the Movie Wars crew as they dissect the breakneck twists and turns of these masterfully made thrillers.

Film Summaries (courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes)

The Game

Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is a successful banker who keeps mostly to himself. When his estranged brother Conrad (Sean Penn) returns on his birthday with an odd gift -- participation in a personalized, real-life game -- Nicholas reluctantly accepts. Initially harmless, the game grows increasingly personal, and Orton begins to fear for his life as he eludes agents from the mysterious game's organizers. With no one left to trust and his money gone, Orton must find answers for himself.

Rating: R

Genre: Mystery & Thriller

Original Language: English

Director: David Fincher

Producer: Steve Golin, Ceán Chaffin

Writer: Michael Ferris, John D. Brancato

,:

Box Office (Gross USA): $48.3M

Runtime: 2h 8m

(https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_game)

The Firm

A young lawyer joins a small but prestigious law firm only to find out that most of their clients are on the wrong side of the law. The company is helping to launder mob money, get clients off charges and even murder partners who threaten to blow their cover, but when the FBI come calling to gather evidence on the lawyer's colleagues, he is caught between a rock and a hard place, juggling his life and his liberty.

Rating: R

Genre:Mystery & Thriller, Drama

Original Language: English

Director: Sydney Pollack

Producer: Scott Rudin, John Davis, Sydney Pollack

Writer: David Rabe, Robert Towne, David Rayfiel

,:

Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2000

Box Office (Gross USA): $157.0M

Runtime: 2h 34m

ps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/:

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Movie Wars
A panel of standup comedians deliver deeply researched and thoughtful film analysis.
A panel of stand-up comedians blends humor with deep film analysis, using their unique ‘War Card’ system to grade movies across key categories. Each episode delivers thoughtful insights and spirited debate, offering a fresh, comedic take on film critique. New episode every Thursday!
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Kyle Castro