um, what is exactly is this movie trying to say?

I agree with you. It comes across as that the movie thinks Douglas's character needed this hell so that he could come to 'appreciate' (!) his overkill line in humour, jealous, brother.

The cinematography, imagery, and characterization. suggested that it was dystopic portrayal of the corporate lifestyle. "The Game" consumed Douglass in the way that his career already had. Note that he seemed to be estranged from his family and loved ones and he's almost always in a business setting, including fancy restaurants.

um, what is exactly is this movie trying to say?

I feel like, this movie has points that you are more senitive towards if your self have lost your father at an early age, I did and for one reason or another I can relate to Nicolas and I can most certainly feel his pain, like the main protagonist I myself had a father who chose suicide as an early exit, the scene in the mansion - like my father before me I chose eternal sleep - this line resonated with Me and concreted this excellent movie deep into my psyche,

Its the dystopian Ferris Bueller....as Ferris sums up at the end...."Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around for a while, you could miss it."

Michael Douglas was missing life....The game gave him back his life.

It's about forcing him to come to grips with his father's suicide. To realize he can be his own man and that he doesn't have to live in the shadow of his father.

Basically what I took from it was that his little brother didn't want him to end up like their father and throw himself off the roof. By showing him there's more to life than work and monies. Since their family home was extremely nice I'd say he must have followed in their father's footsteps business wise and in the end with all that pressure pushing him (the father) over the edge.

Stop and enjoy life, don't just be miserable and chase the almighty dollar like Nicholas did in the beginning