04 Nov Top Hollywood Movies Where Casino is Featured
Planning a movie night with friends who love casino thrillers? Maybe you’re getting ready for a weekend of fun and gambling in Las Vegas.
Either way, watching a casino movie is a great way to learn about your favorite casino game, whether it’s a live casino game such as craps, baccarat, roulette or poker. Fortunately, you don’t have to look too far to focus on the best casino movies.
To help you make the right choice, here are five top Hollywood movies that feature casino gambling. So, get out the popcorn, gather your friends, and start the show!
Casino Jack
Kevin Spacey has starred in a number of casino movies, but this one is undoubtedly one of his most underrated. As American lobbyist, businessman, and convicted felon Jack Abramoff, Kevin Spacey plays an arrogant mastermind involved in corruption, fraud, conspiracy and even murder.
Based on true events, Jack Casino has a simple and easy-to-understand story. It follows Abramoff’s journey from respected family man and prominent member of the Republican Party to criminal who swindled a Native American tribe of millions of dollars in casino winnings.
While the story itself is interesting, the film is more about the inner qualities of Jack Abramoff himself. On the surface, he was a devoted member of the church, exercising every day, and always dressed and behaved well. At heart he was a man without scruples, honesty and principle.
The film was inspired by real events in the Abramoff/Scanlon Indian lobbying scandal, in which perpetrators attempted to use federal law to create new tribal areas instead of supporting existing Indian American reservations.
The Hustler
Paul Newman is the ‘fast’ Eddie Felson, an aspiring billiards player with the attitude and confidence that he’s the best he can be. But he soon faced a grim reality as he ended up broke and couldn’t get out of it.
The only one who can help him is his strict and ruthless mentor, played by another Hollywood legend, Jackie Gleason. There aren’t many fictional characters in gambling movies that make you feel, especially those with sleazy personalities and a disgraceful job as a pool shark.
But in the harsh reality of “Fast” Eddie Felson, all the great victories and tragic losses make you feel like you’re in the hero’s struggles. You can expect many ups and downs throughout the film and many emotional moments that won’t leave you indifferent.
Although the protagonist is a professional billiard shark, the gambling movie itself is not a billiard game. Rather, it’s more about a player’s inherent strengths, money management, and the psychology of what it takes to be in a ruthless pool hall with nowhere to hide.
Liar was so popular when it came out in 1961 that it deserved a sequel. The Color of Money, starring Newman and Tom Cruise, is arguably as good a gambling movie as this one, and you should check it out if you find Liar to be yours.
The Sting
Paul Newman’s back-to-back gambling movies, this time starring Robert Redford, Stinger is a cult movie that should be on every gamer’s bucket list. The main plot of the film revolves around the complex machinations of the two main characters to deceive the notorious crime boss.
Not only is Stinger a well-written movie, it’s a very stylish one. Set against the backdrop of 1930s Chicago, it perfectly depicts the hustle and bustle of the Windy City at the time, with a slightly exaggerated lifestyle and fashion.
You can get the feeling that the film divides almost on and off and breaks down how the two main characters find their way in the world. The rhythm doesn’t stop for a second, and you’ll always feel like you’re taking a risk with Paul Newman and Robert Redford, sneaking up behind them.
There aren’t many gambling movies that can make you ride so frantically, but The Sting’s unpredictable twists will keep you focused on every second until the credits roll. Ultimately, the film ends as a suspense thriller with a huge payoff.
Today, The Sting is considered one of the greatest films of all time and is considered a work of art with cultural and historical significance.
The Cincinnati Kid
King of Cool Steve McQueen plays a young depression-era New Orleans poker player whose goal is to become the best poker player of all time. But what stood in his way was the long-time champion of the race, who he had to beat to get the No. 1 spot in town.
One of his experienced poker friends warned him when he was talking to a friend. His buddies remember how he used to think the same thing, until he finally faced The Man and was destroyed in a game of five-card stud with him.
The kid didn’t mind and tried to walk to the same table and test his skills with the man himself. After many ups and downs in the movie, he was finally able to face The Man in the ultimate showdown of all marbles.
The movie culminates on an explosive note, with both players upping the ante, but only one left the winner.
While the poker movie received mixed reviews when it was released in 1965, it has become a cult classic, especially among modern poker fans. It helped cement McQueen’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s all-time greats and launched the careers of many of the other actors involved in the film.
Casino
Is there a better gambling movie than Casino? The film left a lasting mark on the entire Hollywood scene in the 1990s. It outlines everything a top gambling movie should have.
When you see the cast, you know you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
The movie grabs your attention with a bang from the start. The explosion throws Sam Rothstein (Robert De Niro) into the air, and the narrator explains how he got into such a mess.
In its first hour, the film follows a documentary narrative about how Sam Rothstein and his accomplices swindled thugs out of huge sums of money.
After the climax of the first hour, things slowly started to calm down. Casino is told in a similar way to Goodfellas, but it doesn’t lack the visual or narrative detail we’ve come to expect from a Scorsese blockbuster.
Every little detail in the film is done to perfection, and you’ll love watching it disintegrate as Rothstein’s seemingly invincible empire quickly crumbles. Unlike some of his other iconic works, Scorsese focuses primarily on how Las Vegas works and how characters like Sam Rothstein thrive and profit in such a city.
Inspired by real people and real events, this masterpiece offers an unforgettable experience, not just a gambling movie. Because of this, it holds the No. 1 spot on our list of the best gambling movies we’ve ever made. Scammers, gambling addicts and ruthless mafia bosses fight for power in Las Vegas, all in a Scorsese fashion. All goes well at first, but when everything around the gang and his compatriots crumbles, disaster can no longer be stopped. The movie lasts less than three hours, so fasten your seat belts because you’re riding like crazy!
