By Peter de Kuster
Introduction: When Control Collapses and the Real Game Begins
The Game (1997), directed by David Fincher, is a masterclass in psychological suspense and existential transformation. Michael Douglas stars as Nicholas Van Orton, a wealthy, emotionally distant investment banker whose meticulously ordered life is upended by a mysterious birthday gift from his brother. What begins as a harmless diversion quickly escalates into a harrowing odyssey where reality blurs, trust dissolves, and every certainty is stripped away. For creative leaders, The Game is a powerful metaphor: Are you truly living your story, or just playing it safe behind walls of control? Will you risk everything to discover who you really are?
Plot Summary: From Master of the Universe to Pawn in the Game
Nicholas Van Orton is a successful but lonely San Francisco banker, haunted by his father’s suicide at age 48—the same age Nicholas is turning. On his birthday, his estranged brother Conrad gives him a voucher for a mysterious experience from Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Initially skeptical, Nicholas undergoes a battery of psychological and physical tests, only to be told he’s been rejected. But soon, bizarre events begin: his TV talks to him, his home is invaded, and his life unravels. As the “game” intensifies, Nicholas is robbed, hunted, and betrayed—even by Christine, a woman he thought he could trust.
Stripped of his wealth, reputation, and sense of reality, Nicholas is driven to the brink. Believing he’s killed his brother and with nowhere left to turn, he leaps from a rooftop—only to crash through a glass ceiling onto a safety mat. It was all part of the game: a radical intervention orchestrated by Conrad to save Nicholas from his own emotional isolation. In the aftermath, Nicholas is left humbled, grateful, and open to new beginnings—finally ready to write a different story for his life123.
The Hero’s Journey in The Game
Reflections for Creative Leaders at Every Stage
| Stage | Film Moment | Reflection for Creative Leaders |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ordinary World | Nicholas’s rigid, solitary life as a banker | Where are you hiding behind routine and control, missing out on deeper meaning? |
| 2. Call to Adventure | Conrad’s gift of the CRS voucher | What unexpected invitation or challenge is nudging you to break your patterns? |
| 3. Refusal of the Call | Nicholas’s skepticism and annoyance with CRS’s tests | When have you dismissed an opportunity because it threatened your comfort? |
| 4. Meeting the Mentor | Conrad’s encouragement, CRS’s cryptic guidance | Who pushes you to see life differently—even if it feels uncomfortable? |
| 5. Crossing the Threshold | The game begins: reality unravels, Nicholas is drawn in | When did you last step into the unknown, risking your sense of control? |
| 6. Tests, Allies, Enemies | Christine’s shifting loyalties, attacks on Nicholas’s life and fortune | Who do you trust when everything is at stake? How do you discern ally from adversary? |
| 7. Approach to the Inmost Cave | Nicholas loses everything—money, home, reputation | What’s left when your identity and security are stripped away? |
| 8. Ordeal | Nicholas believes he’s killed Conrad and faces his own mortality | What is your greatest fear, and what happens if you confront it head-on? |
| 9. Reward | The truth is revealed: it was all a game to save him from himself | What insight or transformation emerges when you survive your darkest hour? |
| 10. The Road Back | Nicholas reconnects with Conrad and faces a new reality | How do you rebuild after everything you thought you knew has changed? |
| 11. Resurrection | Nicholas is humbled, open, and grateful—changed at his core | How has your journey through crisis reshaped your leadership and humanity? |
| 12. Return with the Elixir | Nicholas invites Christine to dinner, ready for authentic connection | What new story, wisdom, or openness will you bring back to your world? |
Conclusion: The Game Is Your Life—Will You Play?
The Game is a wake-up call for anyone sleepwalking through life, mistaking control for meaning. Nicholas Van Orton’s journey is a reminder that true growth and connection begin when we step outside our comfort zone and let go of our illusions. As creative leaders, the real “game” is daring to live fully, to risk vulnerability, and to author your own legend—no matter how unpredictable the path.
Questions to Take Away After Watching The Game
- Where are you clinging to control, and what might you discover if you let go?
- Who or what is challenging you to see your life differently?
- What “game” or crisis has forced you to re-examine your story?
- How do you respond when you can’t tell friend from foe, or when your plans unravel?
- What new possibilities might open if you risked authenticity over security?
Story Coaching Offer: Create Your Hero’s Journey with Peter de Kuster
Are you ready to step beyond your comfort zone and become the author of your own legend? My story coaching is for:
- Creative professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders seeking clarity, purpose, and authentic impact
- Anyone at a crossroads, ready to turn crisis into growth and meaning
- Individuals inspired by stories and ready to become the author of their own life
Benefits of Story Coaching
- Discover your personal myth and core archetypes
- Reframe limiting beliefs and turn adversity into opportunity
- Gain clarity on your mission, legacy, and next creative chapter
- Develop practical strategies for authentic, impactful leadership
- Strengthen your storytelling skills to inspire and unite your team
Special Price for Readers
- Full Story Coaching Session (2 hours): €195 (excl. VAT)
- Express Session (1 hour): €120 (excl. VAT)
Contact: peter@wearesomeone.nl
You are the hero, the storyteller, and the legend in the making. The next chapter is yours to write.
The Power of Your Story 