Game Night (2018)
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A routine game night for a group of friends spirals into a dangerous real-life mystery when a kidnapping occurs.
The story
Max and Annie are a couple who regularly host game nights for their friends, including Ryan and the married couple Kevin and Michelle. They try to keep their hobby low-key from their neighbor, a police officer named Gary. During a game night at the house of Max's brother, Brooks, the group believes they are participating in an interactive role-playing mystery. However, the situation takes a turn when an actor is knocked unconscious and Brooks is kidnapped by masked men. The group must navigate the confusion of whether the abduction is part of the game or a genuine threat, leading them into a series of escalating complications.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Max and Annie Davis host regular game nights for their friends Ryan, Kevin, and Michelle. During a game night at the home of Max's brother, Brooks, the group is told they are playing an interactive mystery. When Brooks is kidnapped by masked men, the group initially believes it is part of the game. However, they soon realize the danger is real. They discover Brooks is a black marketeer involved in a high-stakes trade involving a Fabergé egg. The group must navigate a series of obstacles, including a confrontation at a mansion hosting an underground fight club, to recover the egg and find Brooks. They eventually learn that Gary, their neighbor, was involved in a staged abduction by Brooks to get him back into the social circle. The plot culminates in a high-stakes chase to an airport where they must stop the 'Bulgarian' and rescue Brooks. In the aftermath, it is revealed that Brooks is under house arrest and has sold a secret list on the black market. The film ends with a celebration of the group's survival and Annie's pregnancy.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 100
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Francis Daley; Jonathan Goldstein
- Writers
- Mark Perez · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jason Bateman · Max; Rachel McAdams · Annie; Billy Magnussen · Ryan; Sharon Horgan · Michelle; Lamorne Morris · Kevin; Kylie Bunbury · Sarah; Jesse Plemons · Gary Kingsbury; Michael C. Hall · Brooks; Kyle Chandler · not specified
- Genres
- action comedy; comedy; action thriller
- Themes
- Friendship; Identity; Family
- Tone and mood
- Dark comedy; Action
- Premise and plot tags
- Mystery; Role-playing; Action
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and was noted for its sharp script and talented cast.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 41; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 78% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Detroit Film Critics Society Award · Best Supporting Actor · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was originally scheduled for a February 14 release.; The production was inspired by films like Three Amigos and Tropic Thunder.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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