Visiting the casino still invokes a special feeling for many gamblers. Whether it’s the bright lights and buzzing atmosphere or the first class service and excitement of winning, there are tons of reasons why Las Vegas still draws huge numbers of visitors and online gaming websites have millions of new customers signing up every year.
The popularity of casinos has a historic link with Hollywood, with the glamorous image of casino gambling helping characters like James Bond and the Cincinnati Kid to maintain a mystic aura. This article will profile some of the best gambling movies to have ever been made. After reading this it’s sure to put you in the mood for a visit to your local casino, or even sample a live casino experience online.
The Hangover
The first Hangover film had everything. The wild stag party, the complete bewilderment at what happened the night before and the journey to find the groom, Doug. Las Vegas provides an excellent setting for the movie, with pretty much every Sin City cliché imaginable taking place. A particular highlight sees the bumbling Alan giving his best Dustin Hoffman impression with some impressive card counting saving the day.
Rain Man
Parodied to no end, the comedy drama starring Tom Hanks as an advantage-taking older brother to an Autistic savant, the movie sees the duo turning offer casinos with Hoffman’s characters incredible ability to count cards. Rain Man is a bittersweet journey through Las Vegas and the casino industry, with plenty of twists and turns and a few tear jerking moments alongside the air-punching, casino-beating victories.
21
Based on the true story of the MIT Blackjack team, 21 follows one of the biggest casino scams in history that took place over many years. Kevin Spacey brings the movie to life, acting as a recruiter who organises groups of genius students to head out into the desert and use a well-honed system to consistently beat the dealer. Although the film takes some artistic license when it comes to casino bosses chasing down the key characters for revenge, the movie is a great play on a true story and has loads of great casino moments.
Ocean’s 11
Featuring a truly star studded cast, Steven Soderbergh’s heist movie is a real tribute to Las Vegas. In between the fast-paced storyline and brilliant character interaction, there are some brilliant casino moments and plenty of heart-in-mouth moments as the team attempt to carry off an audacious robbery on one of the busiest nights on the Las Vegas calendar. Keep an eye out for the next instalment due out in 2018, featuring Sandra Bullock as the sister of George Clooney’s Danny Ocean in the all-female cast Ocean’s Eight.
Casino
Martin Scorcese’s epic came a few years after the masterpiece that is Goodfellas and got straight back on track. The ultra-violent ‘documentary’ of Las Vegas in the 1970s and 80s is a trip into the dark underbelly of mob rule and the tips and tricks to maintain profits and control, by any means necessary. Whether it’s the superb camera work and scene-setting or the immersive storyline, the film is a rabbit’s hole into the world of the fictional Tangier’s casino which was inspired by a variety of early Vegas casino stories.
