Our Flick of the Week is “The Game,” in which Michael Douglas outshines a script that is intense, tricky and then unfortunately obvious. Douglas, an actor underrated by everyone but the public, has no peer in playing wealthy, powerful and screwed-up characters. Here he is the now grown son of a distant, wealthy San Francisco father who committed suicide at a young age. The image of his father sprawled dead in the driveway of the splendid family mansion haunts Douglas constantly.
“The Game” is very good at setting up its premise as well as Douglas’ “prince of the city” character. He defines the luxurious lifestyle of the wealthy investment banker. Even the Goldman Sachs crowd could learn a thing or two.
And then it’s his birthday, and his younger, no-account brother (a barely recognizable Sean Penn) has selected a doozy of a gift — a gift certificate for participating in a heavy-duty psychodrama in which the subjects are psychologically and physically challenged in an effort to confront their weaknesses.
This boot camp for the brain involves a great deal of planning on the part of the management of the company that developed the game. But as soon as you figure that out, the movie’s real drama is lost. “The Game” is a first-class production; too bad the script had “to travel coach.” Rated R. (star) (star) 1/2
– THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GARCIA LORCA. A powerful speculation on the still mysterious death of the Spanish playwright and poet. Andy Garcia, in the performance of his career, plays Lorca, who threatened the establishment with poetry and dramaturgy. R. (star) (star) (star)
– THE FULL MONTY. The funniest film of the year, to date. Another one of the post-Margaret Thatcher, “we’re all out of work,” comedies — this one following a group of laid-off steel workers who come up with a silly plan to raise money. The miners will bump and grind like the Chippendale’s. Each supporting character is indelible, and their plight is a perfectly engineered. Enjoy it for the first time. R. (star) (star) (star) 1/2
– = New this week