What are the top five films set in a casino?
The glitz, the spectacle, the thrilling highs and crushing lows of hope—casinos used to cast a spell on movie-goers in the recent past. The concept of casinos, between old-school and ultra-modern glamorous models, enthralls the movie industry. Below is a look into a few of the most fantastic casino movies ever.
1. The Hustler (1961)
“The Hustler,” in which Paul Newman starred, was a classic on cable television before pool sharks became a big hit in the living rooms.
Newman plays Eddie Felson, a virtuoso pool hustler who desires only one thing—to be the best.
The classic film shows the burning clash between notorious players in a smoky pool hall for several days.
The green felt table under their hands gives the players a chance themselves and the tension to reach its maximum.
2. Casino (1995)
A casino movie collection can only be complete with the 1995 Martin Scorsese film Casino. Robert De Niro, as Sam “Ace” Rothstein, was a mobsters’ betting handicapper who was put in charge of their casinos during the seventies when Las Vegas was a real town.
This friend is Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), who is in charge of stuff on the side to ensure everyone pays their debts. Greatness is the very soul of the old Sin City.
Underneath the glitz and the glamor, the film shows the ugly reality of the underworld.
Both of them are brutally strong; Stone takes the role of Rothstein’s wife and adds to delicacy with the ages-old casino operation image, a story not set for modern days, in which the most common way of gambling is by a smartphone or a computer, imagine a movie of someone just trying to find gambling software online players, there would be no thrill in it.
3. 21 (2008)
The attraction of blackjack and its hybrid methods is rather effectively portrayed in the movie 21, as the main character Ben Campbell, played by Jim Sturgess, is a very talented MIT student who is persuaded by a professor, played by Kevin Spacey, to become a member of a blackjack team that uses a secret technique of counting cards.
It is a journey in which a person embarks on his education to earn money to pay off his tuition fees, and soon after that, he learns the consequences of greed, power, and ego, which makes one foolish when what is at stake is high.
Not only is 21 a good heist movie, but it is also a revelation of the mathematics that makes blackjack win or lose. Thus, it makes people watch the screen not only for the excitement but for the education of the mathematics in that film.
4. The Cooler (2003)
The character of Bernie Lootz in 2003’s The Cooler seems to be the personification of what bad luck is, and it happened to be William H. Macy.
He is a hired gun sent by the casino owner to bring bad luck to the winning players. Bernie’s well-orchestrated life is disrupted when he falls in love with the cocktail waitress Natalie (Maria Bello), putting his personal life and her life in danger.
Skillfully blending gambling and love stories, The Cooler is a mix of movies with vegans constructed by the night with neon strips. Macy plays the luckiest man alive with perfect casting talent.
5. Croupier (1998)
Croupier’s lead character, Clive Owen, raised challenges and exciting questions. The movie’s hero was a writer searching for a thing he could survive on.
A job is not only about a salary but also turns into writing material since he listens to dealers and watches players chasing jackpots and dealers playing casino politics.
However, “Croupier” is a darker psychological drama about gamblers’ addiction and a look into the workings of the casino.
Mike Hodges also directs it. Owen’s girlfriend participates in a bold heist so the audience can perceive how people live in a natural casino setting.
