MovieChat Forums > The Game (1997) Discussion > Is CRS real or is it invented by Sean Pe...

Is CRS real or is it invented by Sean Penn?

posted 5 years ago by Heisenberg (6273)
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I didn't get this.
It's all a simulation, he didn't lose the money, he didn't get kidnapped, everybody's alive. So, was all this orchestrated by Sean Penn's character, or was this really a service offered by this company, meaning this company really existed in this film's world and would go on and offer these kind of services to other people too?

Like, Sean has a brother with a problem, calls this company to solve it, and they come up with this plan? Or he envinioned this plan, so he needed a fake company to make it look realistic?

He picks up the check at the end, but that doesn't mean the company exists on its own, it could be a company he set up for this simulation for his brother, and he just was paying the costs, for everybody involved, all the stuff destroyed etc.

So is CRS a real company or not?

[–] ExTechOp (2737) 5 years ago

Since Deborah Kara Unger is heading off to do a "walk on part" in another gig (in Australia?), that suggests CRS is a real company (in the world of the film).

That being the case, I don't think Conrad orchestrated any of it. He agreed to pay the bill, but CRS did all the planning and execution. Conrad was just a player in their play.

They also state that Conrad himself played "the game," though it's debatable. Seems like Conrad had been a good-for-nothing until the movie starts, so it's possible he did, in fact, have his own "game," and it "made his life fun."

[–] Heisenberg (6273) 5 years ago

That's interesting, thanks for the reply.
Who do you think paid the bill for Conrad's game then?
He paid it himself without knowing what he was getting into or somebody else bought it for him?

[–] ExTechOp (2737) 5 years ago

This is complete speculation of course, but ...

While I still maintain it's possible Conrad never had a game of his own, I think he did have one and paid for it himself.

Nicholas treats Conrad like a ne'er-do-well spoiled rich kid, but we learn that Conrad actively participated in Nicholas's game and even paid for (half of) Nicholas's game. Conrad appears to have done so specifically to "save" Nicholas from becoming like their father.

In other words, the Conrad we see in the movie is the polar opposite of the Conrad Nicholas thinks he knows.

I'd guess that Conrad paid for his own game, and did so out of terminal boredom with what may have been an aimless, hedonistic lifestyle. I'd go further and guess that, in the film's universe, CRS exists precisely for that purpose, to stimulate and "redeem" wealthy lost souls like Conrad and Nicholas.

[–] Heisenberg (6273) 5 years ago

That sounds plausible to me. Good speculating!
Did they ever explore the CRS concept more after this? like, is there a sequel or a novel talking about this?

[–] ExTechOp (2737) 5 years ago

Nope

The "Fantasy Island" revival, the following year, had a similar theme - mysterious know-it-alls with seemingly unlimited resources help people find meaning in their lives. CRS is replaced by Mr. Roarke and his travel agency.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8289) 5 years ago

19 days ago . . . 11 minutes ago.

I guess better late than never LOL.

[–] Heisenberg (6273) 5 years ago

Yes I guess it sounds similar, I never watched the remake but the original FI had the difference that the clients knew what they were asking for.
In the game that's kinda the best part, that they have no clue where it's coming from.
But no Tattoo:-(

[–] ExTechOp (2737) 5 years ago

No "a lot of things"

It was truly miserable, which blows given that Barry Sonnenfeld produced it and Malcolm McDowell played Roark. Everyone, including the writers, were just phoning it in.

I only mentioned it because it's the only thing I can think of that followed "The Game" thematically. Otherwise, there's no comparison

[–] Callahan7 (893) a year ago

I'd say it is a real company. I haven't seen it in a long time. The young woman (Christine) is an operative and a good one.

One thing that bothered me a bit was that Nicholas was grateful at the end. He says "Thank you" to his younger brother and he really means it.

Would you be grateful? Glad it is over and ha ha the joke was on me. But grateful?

I liked the scene where he wakes up, finds himself in Mexico with no money. He manages to make it to the American consulate. The consulate official treats him like he is a penniless bum with cynical expressions and dialogue.

The film was implausible but fun. I liked this movie.

[–] Heisenberg (6273) a year ago

Yeah the movie is ok, could have used less bleak and more plausibility.

Anyway, let's say ok, CRS exists. Who would be interested in this kind of super expensive pranks?
Nick gets a lesson and a revelation because of his complicated psychological situation.
Even in his case it is surprising that he is thankful at the end, and that the plan succeeded.
Who else could ever be interested in it??!? CRS would be bankrupted right away in the real world.