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‘The Game’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

September 29, 2020 · The Game (1997) · Drama · Mystery · Thriller · 1:13:01 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 27:10Multiple scenes: Douglas and Sean Penn lunch scene, TV talking to Nicholas, car scene when it starts unraveling, chase scene with Debra Kara Unger, presidential suite scene, cab driver jump scene, and ending from the 300-person cafeteria scene through to the end
Chris Ryan▶ 30:47Main chase sequence around CRS ending with the empty office reveal, plus both Armin Mueller-Stahl scenes (Seattle dressing down and throwing Polaroids)
Sean Fennessey▶ 30:20When he returns to his house and finds the graffiti with White Rabbit playing

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 32:58Michael Douglas, good athlete? Bad athlete.
Chris Ryan▶ 33:02Douglas may have been good but past his prime, questions the realism of his baggy shirt while playing racquetball and notes he's old school where stuntmen did the work

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 33:46Multiple picks: Nicholas splitting the bill with Conrad, the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco location, the Graffiti House, movie tropes like 'they're watching' and 'now you've done it', and Deborah Kara Unger's performance
Chris Ryan▶ 35:11Deborah Kara Unger - praising her as an 'anxious blonde' he's 'incredibly into' and being 'long on her vibe'
Sean Fennessey▶ 35:44Discussed Deborah Kara Unger's casting story involving her audition tape from Cronenberg's Crash, but didn't clearly endorse it as what aged best

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 40:11Kyle MacLachlan — Discusses original 1992 casting with Kyle MacLachlan and Bridget Fonda, relieved it didn't happen; mentions Jodie Foster was announced for Sean Penn's role but Fincher removed her; notes Jeff Bridges was offered Conrad role but would be too close to Douglas's age
Chris Ryan▶ 40:28Rebecca De Mornay — Suggests Rebecca de Mornay would have been better choice than Bridget Fonda for 1992 version since it was 'peak de Mornay'
Sean Fennessey▶ 40:40Provides background on director Jonathan Mostow's other films like Breakdown and Terminator, but doesn't offer strong opinions on the casting alternatives

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 43:28James Rebhorn
Chris Ryan▶ 43:21Mark Boone Junior — Discussed Mark Boone Jr. (private investigator who was also in Seven) but didn't make a definitive pick
Sean Fennessey▶ 43:43James Rebhorn — Mentioned Linda Manz and agreed with James Rebhorn's credentials, noting his roles in Sons of a Woman and Homeland

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 50:03Deborah Kara Unger — No for Douglas and Sean Penn, yes for Debra Kara Unger (DKU), possibly for pre-Silicon Valley San Francisco movies and Johnny's Coffee Shop
Chris Ryan▶ 51:44Cheeseburger on film - the cheeseburger Douglas is about to eat for his birthday

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:40Sean Penn — Sean Penn - because if you had a different actor who wasn't that good, they wouldn't be doing this podcast; Penn created a unique character while Douglas gave a familiar performance
Chris Ryan▶ 1:05:07Michael Douglas — Michael Douglas - because it's old school movie star, he's in every scene, puts the movie on his back, and serves as the audience avatar
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:04:37David Fincher — Initially suggests there might not be a winner since it's not the best work for most involved, but acknowledges Fincher benefited by getting $70 million for Fight Club afterward

Movies Referenced (30)

Heat (1995)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 14:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wall Street (1987)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 6:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Crash (2004)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 35:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Midnight Run (1988)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 14:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Super 8 (2011)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 38:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blue Chips (1994)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 41:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Falling Down (1993)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fatal Attraction (1987)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fight Club (1999)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 37:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gone Girl (2014)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 14:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Panic Room (2002)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 16:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (4)

Sean Penn

42 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 1:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Fincher

23 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Se7en, Gone Girl, Zodiac▶ 1:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jonathan Mostow

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for U-571▶ 40:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Cronenberg

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Fly, eXistenZ, Dead Ringers▶ 35:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (38)

Michael Douglas

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Wall Street, Behind the Candelabra, Romancing the Stone▶ 1:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Deborah Kara Unger

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for The Game, Silent Hill▶ 3:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Murray

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom▶ 31:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jodie Foster

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver▶ 41:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Diane Lane

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Unfaithful, Under the Tuscan Sun, The Outsiders▶ 46:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Rebhorn

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Independence Day, The Game, The Talented Mr. Ripley▶ 3:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bridget Fonda

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Simple Plan, Point of No Return, Single White Female▶ 40:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Doc Rivers

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Uncut Gems, Hustle▶ 1:02:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

J.T. Walsh

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Sling Blade, Needful Things▶ 40:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kyle MacLachlan

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Dune▶ 40:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rebecca De Mornay

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Runaway Train, Risky Business▶ 40:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Jones

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 48:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Andrew Kevin Walker

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Killer, Se7en▶ 48:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Jonze

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Her, Three Kings, Where the Wild Things Are▶ 24:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 25:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

David Muir

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 45:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗