Hollywood has something of a fascination with gambling. It’s easy to see why too. Every emotion imaginable is on display at some point around the blackjack, slot machine, or poker table. A big win at the felt can catapult a character into a new life. Likewise, a crushing defeat can force someone down a new life path. Joy, heartbreak, anger, excitement, and apprehension – you name it, gambling can be responsible for it!
Some movies that involve gambling try to be as realistic as possible, others prefer to ramp up the suspense by creating some completely unrealistic scenarios. Meanwhile, some toe the middle ground between these two extremes.
Some Certainly Portray Reality
Some movies attempt to portray a completely realistic experience. Many of these are biographical or based on real events that are so gripping that they barely need Hollywood embellishment.
21
21 (2008) tells the tale of the infamous MIT card counting ring that targeted casinos during the ‘80s, ‘90s, and into the new millennium. It follows a maverick professor as he teaches a group of incredibly gifted maths students to bend the rules of blackjack.
Whereas the story itself isn’t completely true to the real-world events that inspired it, the sequences in which players are at the table are accurate. Efforts are made to stress just how tough card counting in a casino setting actually is. The methods used by the characters to appear to be legitimate “mug” gamblers are all consistent with those used by real card counters too. All told, 21 is a solid representation of casino blackjack and card counting.
High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003)
High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story is another movie based on real-life events. It’s the story of Stu Ungar, the legendary gin rummy-turned poker player. If you didn’t know the story of Stuey “The Kid” already, you’d be forgiven for presuming that most of the events of the movie were complete BS. However, those who know the tale well know that the incredible feats on and off the table are all legit.
Ungar’s story is one of rags to riches, and vice versa, repeated over and over. The man who appeared clairvoyant when playing either rummy or poker had a penchant for wild prop bets. He’d bet thousands at the track or single hole of golf, despite often playing against superior opposition.
All the card playing action in the movie is realistic and the story remains fairly consistent with real events – even the bit where he missed the start of the second day of the World Series of Poker after begging to be staked in it, only to come and win the thing for a third time!
We decided not add this move as its just to “real” – Leaving Las Vegas
Some Movies Try to Represent Reality
Other movies attempt to portray realistic gambling action but the need to present extra excitement proves too much for the writers and director.
Rounders (1998)
Rounders does a pretty great job of portraying the realities of a poker grinder. Matt Damon plays a gifted poker player who busts out versus an underground club owner. He manages to borrow enough to cash to get himself back to the tables and vows never to bet it all on a single hand again – bankroll management is, of course, crucial for a pro player.
When a fellow poker playing friend of Damon’s character gets out of prison, it turns out that he owes a large amount of money to gangsters. The two team up to grind up the cash needed to pay back the debt. The movie culminates with Damon’s character facing off against Teddy KGB again. Here, the mentality of a poker player is represented well. The thought processes are accurate, and the game is won by identifying a tell of Teddy’s.
It all sounds pretty legit so far. However, the director couldn’t resist throwing in that stupid Hollywood convention of string betting. In the kind of high stakes games that the characters are playing, “seeing that $200, and raising it another $400” would almost certainly be banned.
Casino Royale (2006)
Another movie that represents the mechanics of poker very well but attempts to make the action easier to follow and more exciting for non-poker playing viewers is Casino Royale. In one of the final sequences of this modern Bond movie, the high stakes game culminates in one of the most ridiculous final hands imaginable.
The game is Texas Hold ‘Em and Bond is at the table. After a few intense rounds of betting, it’s time for the showdown. The first player shows a flush. This is followed by a full house. Player three turns over a higher full house. Sounds like a far-fetched culmination to a game but not so unrealistic yet. That changes when James Bond turns his hand over. What does he have? A Royal Flush… Well, of course he does.
From someone who has played tournament poker professionally for years, this is highly unrealistic. I have never, ever seen a Royal Flush win a tournament – let alone in a four handed final pot. I mean, come on, where’s the heads-up finale featuring a pair of deuces vs a Queen high?
Some Absolutely Do Not Represent Reality!
Finally, we get onto the downright outrageous. This last one makes scant effort to portray gambling realistically – it’s more about the drama than it is about setting the scene of a real game.
Maverick (2004)
In Maverick, Mel Gibson plays a down-on-his-luck gambler who must hustle hard to join a high stakes game. Of course, he manages it but makes a few enemies on the way. There are a few far-fetched aspects of Maverick. These include a few sections in which the players don’t follow the strict etiquette they would have to in real life.
The major blooper in this one though is much like that of Casino Royale. However, rather than trying to keep it somewhat grounded in reality, the finale of the tournament is just balls-to-the-wall Hollywood excitement fodder.
We’re three handed at the culmination of the tourney. Again, a series of gripping bets go in – clearly everyone is rocking solid hands. When we finally get to see what each player is holding, it literally couldn’t be more ridiculous. The first player turns over four-of-a-kind tens. This is followed by a straight flush. Next up is Mel. Surely, he can’t beat a straight flush, right?
Wrong!
The hero of the hour flops over a Royal Flush, just like Bond, to scoop the prize money. Just like every night down at the local casino, eh?
