Some of the best movies thrive on edge of your seat tension and interesting dialog to keep the viewer hooked. While most people love the high-octane nature of blockbuster cinema, sometimes more can be said from something much more subtle. Few realms encapsulate quiet tension like the casino, whether a movie is trying to create drama, romance, or simply wants to be cool.
Casinos are increasingly becoming mainstream, driven by the success of online casinos and mobile casino games. Regulators have started to relax rules around betting and states have embraced casinos. For example, Online Gambling California venues are now available and people are enjoying the accessibility and are more ready to embrace the glamor of casinos that they have seen in movies.
In Hollywood, casinos have often been portrayed positively and below are some of the best casino moments in movies.
Casino Royale
No movie character has been more perfect for the casino world than James Bond. Indeed, 007 visits a casino in just about every movie in the franchise and brings his dashing and suave personality each time. However, it is in 2006’s Casino Royale where Bond hits his casino stride. As the name suggests, the whole movie is focused on a casino and specifically a game of high-stakes poker. During the game, everything we love about a good casino scene is in evidence: tension, humor, double-crossing, espionage, romance, and sexiness.
Casino
Even if you’ve never seen Martin Scorsese’s sprawling love letter to old school Las Vegas, you can probably guess it has its fair share of casino scenes. Arguably the most uncomfortable and violent gangster movie ever, Casino is also a masterpiece. When it slows down and shows the inner workings of casinos, it encapsulates an era of Las Vegas that was as beautiful and dangerous. Because this is Scorsese, the casino scenes are wonderfully shot and lit.
Rain Man
Unlike the previous two movies on this list, Rain Main is not directly about a casino or gambling. Instead, it is a coming-of-age drama starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. Emotional and funny, one of the best scenes in Rain Man is when Cruise’s Charlie Babbit realizes his autistic brother Ray is a savant who can count cards. Stopping their road trip to California, Charlie takes Ray to a Casino where Ray eventually wins big at blackjack and attracts a crowd. The scene is funny, engaging, dramatic, and even tragic.
Ocean’s 11
Really, the whole of Ocean’s 11 series presents an iconic look at casino life. The movie is centered on a casino, and specifically, Danny Ocean and his 11-strong gang’s attempt to rob a major Vegas casino. Featuring amazing dialog, an accurate look at casinos, and a beautifully shot Las Vegas, Ocean’s 11 is an ode to old movies, a postcard view of Las Vegas, and an excellent heist thriller. One of the best casino movies ever made, this is a must-see for people who love casinos.
Conclusion
As you can see, Casinos have had a major influence on Hollywood and have featured in some of the biggest movies ever. The list above presents some of the best casino movies and scenes ever, but there are certainly plenty more to consider. For example, other casino movies worth checking out include Rounders, The Hangover, and the rest of the Ocean’s franchise.
