James L. Brooks wrote this funny/sad, grown-up television movie about two poker pals (Gene Wilder and Bob Newhart) who inadvertently neglect their spouses in search of deeper meaning in their lives. Filmed in 1971, "Game" is a beautifully nuanced and sardonic middle-age-crazy tale with a sensational ensemble cast, nicely photographed in gritty colors by the esteemed Joe Biroc. Robert Moore directed in a quirky but sure-handed fashion, working from a tight script which never takes a cheap shot. Wilder (along with Ellen Burstyn as his wife) is at the peak of his charms here as an actor, and he and Newhart make a surprisingly fine beleaguered-buddy team. Well-received in its day, the movie has been unjustly forgotten (how it wound up on TV is anyone's guess); this has the look and prestige of a theatrical feature.
Review of Thursday's Game
