Gambling films have an intrinsic drama because they are, by definition, about risk. It’s not fun to see someone be sensible and careful, but to witness someone repeatedly putting his life on the line in the hope of winning a huge score. Gamblers in betting movies are in many ways similar to that senior officer who hits a last deck before retiring. They rarely end up with a peaceful home life in upstate New York, accumulating their winnings. Here are some well-known betting films created with the assistance of fancasinos.com and its professionals. If you are a fan of online gambling you can read their review about how to choose a gambling site, how to stay safe and tips for winning.
Vegas Vacation
With the possible exception of that bad reboot with Ed Helms, it’s definitely the worst Vacation film. But you’ll have to bear with us on this one, since it contains probably the single funniest and most inane gambling joke ever. Clark Griswold develops a gambling addiction which is really terrible and is tormented by Marty, a card dealer portrayed by Wallace Shawn, who is fantastic. Clark is such a bad gambler that he pays $20 to play a game called “Pick a Number between 1 and 10?” at a “discount” gambling casino. “4,” he guesses. “Nope, 7,” responds the dealer, who then accepts his money. Clark storms away, muttering under his breath. The very existence of such a game encapsulates Las Vegas and gambling in general. It’s possibly the most truthful card game imaginable.
21
Based on the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team, which beat the gambling casino for nearly a decade, 21 transforms an intriguing math and business story into a sort of dumb heist film starring a slew of young, attractive actors (Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Jacob Pitts, and even Josh Gad) attempting to outsmart Kevin Spacey. Spacey is notably off-kilter here, and the film has been chastised for “whitewashing” in its casting, with the majority of the actors being Asian-Americans in real life. However, for a brief period, before Spacey is kidnapped and abused in a hotel room, it felt like a fascinating look into the mechanics driving clever gambling.
The Cooler
The best quality of this endearing indie is its premise: Meet Bernie (William H. Macy), a professional loser whose duty is to sabotage any high-winning roller’s streak by merely playing at the same craps table. The plot of the movie is kind of sad and funny, both at the same time. The main character is trying to quit the gambling habit but in actuality he is in debt to Alec Baldwin’s tough-guy gambling casino boss. However his luck can be changed by the love of a good woman. In Wayne Kramer’s directorial debut, realism takes a backseat to romance and sentimentality, and the payoff isn’t as enjoyable as the setup. Macy, on the other hand, was born to play a hangdog failure who hasn’t given up on himself.
The Hustler
When it comes to our gambling movie rankings, we have to remark that The Hustler isn’t quite as good as its sequel, The Color of Money (which you’ll find later on our list)…. However, it is most likely a better film altogether. The 1961 original is more concerned with loyalty, ethics, and ambition than with a swaggering Tom Cruise–Paul Newman movie-star face-off. Fast Eddie Felson, played by Newman, is a more intriguing version of Cruise’s character, and his fight against Jackie Gleason’s Minnesota Fats has a more personal, emotional development than a conventional sports-movie storyline. The less about the pool hustling, the better… which is excellent, but keeps it lower on my list.
Casino Jack
This is one of Kevin Spacey’s most underappreciated casino films. Spacey plays Jack Abramoff, a powerful Washington DC lobbyist, in the film. Abramoff, along with his protege Michael Scanlon, fails miserably when his attempt to influence results in murder and corruption. However, telling more about it would mean to kill its suspense.
All of the above-mentioned movies are great in their own ways and tell a lot about betting. They also tell about the negative consequences and the risks that can eat up all of your savings. Watching them will be a great way to know about gambling in detail.
