Generally speaking, casinos are places of entertainment where people go to have an enjoyable time. They are also places of high drama — or so the movies would have us believe, anyway. In the 1942 classic Casablanca, Rick’s Café Américain is something of a gaming house, but in war-torn North Africa. It is, of course, so much more. Although this movie still stands up well with modern audiences, it is hardly a casino-focused picture. What are some of the best examples of casino movies that still cut it today? Read on to find out.
Casino (1995)
Casino may not be one of Martin Scorsese’s best-known films from the 1990s. Goodfellas and Cape Fear are, perhaps, more appreciated today. That said, Casino is a darkly entertaining thriller that pairs Robert de Niro with Joe Pesci, an on-screen combination that had worked for Scorsese before. Into this mix, the director adds Sharon Stone, who gives one of her best performances — she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role. What’s more, the film is unrelentingly focused on casino experiences in a gritty and realistic tale.
Runner Runner (2013)
Justin Timberlake plays the lead in Brad Furman’s engaging Runner Runner movie. This story centers on the world of online casinos, which gives the movie genre a distinctly novel twist. A decade ago, when the film was made, online casinos hadn’t been explored in screenplays much despite their growing popularity. In the film, Timberlake’s character is ripped off by Ben Affleck, who plays the owner of a casino site. Of course, modern online casinos have all the safeguards of regular ones to prevent such outcomes. For example, playing online slots at Spin Casino, where players have securely encrypted account data, wouldn’t lead to the kind of plot lines that Runner Runner explores. Properly run online gaming platforms take their reputations very seriously nowadays, and they couldn’t afford to get into the scrapes that occur in the film. That said, Runner Runner is a remarkable work of fiction that offers edge-of-the-seat entertainment throughout, ideal for some escapism with a few unexpected plot twists thrown in.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Ocean’s Eleven takes the traditional heist movie and sends it up to generate something that is both comedic and thrilling at the same time. With a truly star-studded cast that includes George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Elliot Gould, and Matt Damon, among others, this casino-set movie offers a great deal of viewing pleasure from the very first scene. What’s even more notable is the soundtrack, which, in many ways, is just as entertaining as the movie. Steven Soderbergh’s direction was at the height of his game when the principal shooting for the film took place in Las Vegas in the spring of 2001. Intriguingly, Don Cheadle’s role isn’t credited, something the actor has since put down to behind-the-scenes events that he didn’t approve of. To this day, the exact nature of what occurred remains unclear though.
Rounders (1998)
Another Matt Damon movie with a significant casino theme, Rounders also stars Ed Norton and Famke Janssen. This is the go-to casino movie for fans of poker because it explores the psychology of the game so well. In fact, this film is a true psychological thriller that includes some superb supporting acting from the likes of John Malkovich, Gretchen Mol, and John Turturro. Rounders didn’t enjoy much critical acclaim following its release, but its themes chimed with audiences around the world, and it has since gone on to achieve a justified status as a cult classic.
