G@me (2003) User Reviews

Thin line between ambition and revenge

[KineticSeoul · 6/10 · 1 January 2013]

This movie started out pretty darn narrow with a fake kidnapping scheme going on. Which takes up the first full hour of this movie and thought it was pretty bland. The male actress is bland as well and felt too much like a robot. It's alright to have that kinda trait because of the role the actor he is playing but he shows almost zero emotion in this whole movie. And without good enough reasons. Yukie Nakama did a good job playing the pretend kidnapped victim and brought out just the right amount of emotions. So when it comes to the core of the plot though it's about playing one another and who is the true schemer. However the love relationship and attraction just seemed to come out of nowhere since there just wasn't enough bonding for the viewers to see to merit it. Yeah, they both set up a task to make a fake kidnapping and both are arrogant and materialistic but that is about it. The constant trying to outwit each other is entertaining but some dumb mistakes get in the way to make this movie not all that believable. Since they make some clever scheme that is possible but make really dumb mistakes. Overall this is a decent movie with wits that show the thin line between ambition and revenge and what people will do to achieve it.

6.8/10

G@me

[a_baron · 5/10 · 29 June 2015]

A high flying executive stumbles across a damsel in distress, she is actually the daughter of a major client who is the man behind a massive project on which he is working. The girl gives him the impression she needs some time away then suggests casually that they fake her kidnapping and split the ransom. When the project falls through he decides to take up her bizarre offer for personal as much as financial reasons.

In any kidnapping for ransom the pay-off is always the fly in the ointment, but our hero is also a games developer, and his knowledge of technology - including disguising his voice electronically - is second to none, so with that and a little old-fashioned artifice, that hurdle is negotiated safely.

All good and fine up to here, likewise when it transpires the damsel is really a femme fatale, but hereafter the plot becomes so convoluted that you really have to wonder what is really going on, and the ending, well, if you watch it without the subtitles, you won't be any more confused.

Well thought out plot

[ebiros2 · 5/10 · 26 December 2012]

G@me is a well crafted suspense drama of deception where battle of the minds takes the story to its climax.

The movie is about selfishness, and confidence each of the character has on their intelligence to pull off the deception. Who's in control, is one of the intriguing aspects of the story. Is love stronger than greed in the end ?

In today's Japanese society where performance in money making ability is king, this movie shows a cross section of its society where one will go any length to get the business and money at their job. The cruelty of each of the character in this movie shows how deep people are willing to go to achieve this goal.

The story was good, but I couldn't get into the cruelness of the characters. This kind of took away from the story. But I guess a story had to be made that's (almost) totally dependent on the mind game of the characters.

If you like good plots, and complex strategies, this movie is for you.

A must watch - one of the best modern day Japanese flicks

[ZOOM9000 · 7 April 2005]

G@me was not really known about outside Japan when it came out but I happened to have had the privilege of watching it on a Virgin Atlantic air flight from UK to Hong Kong.

The story line is written to perfection, the plot being measured intricately all the way through. A very intelligent film.

The movie centres around Sakuma (played by the handsome Fujiki Naohito) who works as an advertiser / commercial promoter. Due to the cancellation of a project he has worked hard on by his boss Katsuragi (played by the ruthless Ryo Ishibashi), Sakuma enters into an agreement with Katsuragi's daughter, Chiharu (played by the beautiful Nakama Yuki) that she should be kidnapped as a ransom for her father's money. In performing the kidnap, Sakuma and Chiharu fall in love although there are scenes when both try to be as objective and unemotional as possible.

Worth all your time and watch and one hopes to see Fujiki and Nakama come on screen together in the near future.

Certainly a better than average production

[yipidee · 6/10 · 12 June 2006]

I just picked up this DVD because it had English subtitles on the Japanese disc in my local rental shop. I had never heard a thing about it, nor could I even read the DVD box cover, so I was going in with an open mind.

The film starts quite slowly, and goes down a well worn path in terms of plot, (it's basically a hostage situation where the abductor and abductee have planned it together to get back at the abductee's father) and I didn't think much of the acting at the start, though all the main players seem to warm up as the film proceeds. I had this film pegged as nothing special, filler material until the titular g@me actually began, at this point the film really starts to show some nice ideas (nothing amazingly original, but slickly executed). It's quite drawn out toward the end, but I went from thinking nothing of the show to being pretty impressed. This deserves to be seen by more people, I think anyone into twists would certainly enjoy it, and it offers a little something to think about in comparison to the current crop of summer Blockbusters.

Overall an enjoyable couple of hours, I want to give it 6.5, but 7 is too high, the guy is a little too cool toward the girl for how he is supposed to be feeling. The acting isn't outstanding by any means either.

The Good One

[lia00027 · 8/10 · 7 February 2005]

The story is good and unpredictable and the main character performed best especially Yukie she really showed her emotion so I feel sorry for her. Fujiki was so cool in this film/drama and he played well. They were perfect to become a couple, but the ending is not so good because Yukie has gone some where and Fujiki just smiled. The chemistry between them look powerful in here, even thought Yukie sometimes misunderstanding him. THE STORY IS REALLY GAME.

The director really know what's good for this movie and it's made well, beside Japan usually made dark film/drama but this one is not and this one has to watch.

Why don't they make the sequel? Usually japan always made a good ending but why this one is not? Are they gonna meet again?

Fair

[Aries_Primal · 4/10 · 26 December 2017]

When it started I thought it would be better. I really expected more but the double plot made it fair. End was dull, the entire movie was somehow slow and I really expected more from the love scene. The idea of thie movie is great, actors are more than well chosen, acting failed. Every good movie deserve some action and hot moments, they are missing here.

watch it before Hollywood does a remake!

[naosGRL · 9 January 2005]

this film is a slick caper movie that's not what it seems. a little slow starting, it tells the story of an ad exec who loses his chance to bag a big deal because the company boss sees a different direction for the product. he runs into juri, the boss's runaway daughter, and they plot to fake her kidnapping. but things turn bizarre when after the payoff, juri is still missing. the love angle between the two leads is expected, but there are a lot of twists towards the last thirty minutes of the film. it's not the usual, simple plot. there were a lot of parts that had me in suspense, without any shooting or violence, due in large part to naohito fujiki's excellent acting. it's slick, it's smart, it's suspenseful. watch it now, before Hollywood decides to buy the rights and turn this excellent story into another pretty-boy action-star vehicle.