When it comes to gambling, there is no dearth of movies that dive deep into the inherent drama that comes with playing poker and other card games. Western movies often use gambling as the basis of their plot. There are zillions of movies that feature casino card games and explore the emotional aspects of gambling. While some movies focus on the rise of a talented poker player, some feature the underlying causes of problem gambling. Here are three best films featuring card games:
21
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, 21 is an American heist drama movie starring Laurence Fishburne, Jim Sturgess, and Kevin Spacey. The film was released in 2008 and is based on a book by Ben Mezrich named as Bringing Down The House. It is inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack team that goes astray while focusing on beating the house in blackjack.
The movie revolves around an effective card counting strategy that can help players win millions but cannot be detected. Though the movie is based on how Harvard and MIT students developed a similar strategy, the movie is not an accurate depiction of what actually happened. The movie incorporates a considerable amount of fictional elements and is deemed as a dramatized and shortened version of real events that took place between 1979 and early 2000s.
Though the film was severely criticized for its casting choices, it was a box office success. 21 may not be the best blackjack movie. Nonetheless, it’s a must-watch for card game players who want to see if the counting strategy can be replicated. The movie features one of the very few stories of creating a card counting system that provides you the edge over the casino.
The Cincinnati Kid
Directed by Norman Jewison, The Cincinnati Kid is an American drama film released in 1965. The film features Steve McQueen as Eric Stoner, a young poker player from New Orleans who seeks to create a name in poker by challenging professional players. In this quest, Eric Stoner nicknamed as “The Kid” challenges longtime poker master Lancey Howard “The Man”. The movie climaxes with a final poker hand between the two in which The Kid loses to The Man.
Set in the Depression-era, the script is inspired from Richard Jessup’s novel of the same name. The Cincinnati Kid is the only gambling movie that stars Steve McQueen. It revolves around the emotional aspects of poker and how hubris among players can cause their demise in the game. The movie is not very appealing to the younger generation as it is based in the 1930s and has very little to do with online poker.
Rounders
Directed by John Dahl, Rounders is an American drama film based on underground poker. The film tells a story of two friends who turn to high-stakes underground poker to get money to pay off a large debt. The movie is named “Rounders” as they have to go round and round cities, looking for high-stakes card games.
Released in 1998, the movie features Matt Damon and Edward Norton in lead roles. Though the movie wasn’t a super hit at the box office, it became a cult hit in the early 2000s with the poker boom. The movie received mixed reviews from the critics and has a great following among poker fans.
Rounders is one of those movies whose entertainment value is appreciated long after its release. Many professional poker players like Brian Rast, Gavin Griffin, Dutch Boyd, and Hevad Khan accredit their entry into the game to Rounders. Rounders perfectly demonstrates the tension and energy in the game as is therefore widely deemed as the best poker movie ever made.
