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11 Brilliant Movies that Feature Casinos

There are plenty of epics that focus on casinos. Given the drama and range of emotions that casinos generate it is no surprise that they make for a fantastic movie setting. Shady characters, intertwined plots, heists, the plot and character options are endless.

To get a flavour of this drama, simply head over to the Best Casino Online TuskCasino. After a great night’s play, check out these films.

California Split

Staring Eliot Gould and George Segal and directed by Robert Altman. The story focuses on two men who become friends and through the intense gambling scenes, a story emerges of a boys will be boys friendship built around engaging characters. Altman’s directing style understates the gut-punch ending which makes the film a 1970s classic.

The Gambler

Based on a true story, screenplay writer James Toback based the film on his own gambling addictions. The 1974 version is a classic piece of filmmaking with James Caan’s performance as Axel, a dangerous and self-destructive seeking gambler is flawless.

The film works as Caan is able to sell Axel as a man looking for the next thrill rather than to win big and check out.

Hard Eight

The 1996 movie was Paul Thomas Anderson’s first film and he had all kinds of problems bringing it to the big screen, not least because he nearly lost the rights to the whole film. Thankfully, the film did get released as the study of a sad and lonely man in Las Vegas, becoming more entwined with the underworld is a great watch.

One of the remarkable things about it is that when you’re in Vegas you see the central character all the time, you just never notice him. Or her.

Tricheurs

You can be forgiven for never watching this 1984 classic thriller about a man who is so addicted to gambling that he no longer cares if he wins. Things get really intense when he is enlisted in a complicated cheating heist. Once Barbet Schroeder’s film starts there is no turning away from it.

The Cincinnati Kid

Starring Steve McQueen in the title role, this 1965 thriller about poker hustling is a film you have to watch. Despite its age, the film still feels relevant and has some well crafted intense scenes.

Steve McQueen’s performance is fantastic as the kid who slowly realises he is not as good as he thinks.

Croupier

Easily Clive Owen’s best film, this 1998 film noir masterpiece focuses on a struggling novelist who takes a job as a croupier. Slowly, Jack, the main character is submerged into a dingy casino world and we learn about all those that have thrown away their money and lives at the tables.

The film’s feel makes it worth two hours of your time alone.

The Sting

The Sting won best picture in 1973 and it is easy to see why this completely engaging thriller beat off the competition at the Oscars. The film’s leads, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw and Paul Newman are superb.

The story revolves around taking down Robert Shaw’s no good mobster through a series of rigged card games and horse racing. It is a classic and one film that should be on your watch list.

Ocean’s Eleven

The film is hardly classic but many who remember its release have a lot of love for it. Featuring heartthrob actors of the time such as Brad Pitt and George Clooney, the film which is a remake of the Rat Pack original, does not attempt to show casino life in a good or bad light, but instead, makes the whole thing into a bit of a blast.

Owning Mahowny

The film focuses on the addictive side of gambling, with Philip Seymour Hoffman playing the lead role with aplomb. His character is a Canadian bank manager who cannot control his addiction and steals money from the bank where he works and uses it to bet.

The film is based on a true story and shows a different life-destroying side to the industry.

Molly’s Game

Molly’s Game came from the memoirs of Molly Bloom a former champion skier who had to repurpose her life after suffering a horrible, life changing accident. She chose to go into the world of organising underworld poker tournaments.

The film excels at conveying Molly’s rush in the tournaments and some of the characters that are revealed are heartbreaking, especially Bill Camp’s hopeless gambler. This film deservedly won an academy award.

 Casino

Martin Scorsese’s intricate masterpiece shows how finances work in the criminal underworld and how individuals get trampled on as the machine turns.

As the story unfolds, De Niro’s Ace, a man who runs a mobster casino is undercut by an erratic friend and an ambitious woman. The film lays out how casino’s and possibly the world works.

There are plenty of other great movies that feature casinos. Check them out.

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