When you think of casinos, what comes to mind? Money, glamour, and most likely some kind of drama are involved as well! Here are some great films you should see.
When you think of gambling movies, what comes to mind? A lot of people might say “Rounders” or “Ocean’s Eleven” with their iconic movie scenes. But there are many other films that also have casino scenes. One such film is the Netflix release, Molly’s Game.
This movie tells the true story of a woman who ran one of the world’s most exclusive poker games for over ten years before being arrested in an FBI sting operation. It stars Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba
Here are some more movies that made it to the cinema with great casino scenes, starting with “Rounders.”
Rounders
“Rounders” is a 1998 film starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton. It tells the story of two friends who become involved in underground poker games after one of them quits his job as a law student.
The cast also includes John Malkovich, Gretchen Mol, and Famke Janssen.
“Rounders” was well-received by critics and has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 65%.
The Gambler
Mark Wahlberg’s movie, “The Gambler,” is also about underground poker games. But this time, the stakes are much higher.
The cast also includes Brie Larson, Jessica Lange, Michael Kenneth Williams, and John Goodman. “The Gambler” was released in December 2014 and received mixed reviews from critics.
It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 44%. The original 1974 film was much better with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80%.
Ocean’s Eleven
The original “Ocean’s Eleven” was released in 2001 and starred George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, and Andy Garcia. “Oceans Eleven” is a true remake of the 1960 Rat Pack movie. The movie follows a group of eleven criminals who team up to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.
The cast is full of A-list actors and the film itself was very well-made. It received positive reviews from critics and has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 83%.
Oceans Twelve
Two years later, the gang got back together for “Ocean’s Twelve.” This time around, they have to deal with their previous heist and also try to rob a new target.
The movie was released in 2004 and has an even larger cast than the first one, with Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Andy Garcia (again), Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Shaobo Qin, Eddie Jemison, and Elliott Gould all making appearances.
Ocean’s Thirteen
In 2007 Ocean’s 13 came out with a similar plot to Ocean’s Eleven: the team has to deal with their previous heist coming back to haunt them as well as try another robbery of a different casino owner who is attempting revenge on them by ruining Danny Ocean financially. This movie also stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon once more, and other big named actors such as Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, and Bruce Willis.
The movie was generally positively received by audiences and critics alike with an approval rating of 69% on Rotten Tomatoes.
These are all fairly recent movies, let’s look at some classics…
The Sting
“The Sting” is a 1973 film starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It tells the story of two con artists who team up to take down a mob boss.
The cast also includes Robert Shaw, Charles Durning, Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston, and James Gammon. “The Sting” was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won seven, including Best Picture.
Casino
Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film “Casino,” tells the true story of mob-connected casino owner Frank Rosenthal and his interactions with the FBI, the Kansas City Mafia, and various other criminal organizations.
The cast includes Robert De Niro as Frank Rosenthal, Sharon Stone as Ginger McKenna (Rosenthal’s wife), Joe Pesci as Nicky Santoro (the main man in the Chicago Mafia), and James Woods as Lester Diamond. “Casino” was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Five Card Stud
A cowboy movie in which the main character gets in over his head with a group of poker players.
The cast includes Robert Taylor, Dean Martin, and Brian Keith among others. It was released in 1968 to positive reviews but didn’t do very well at the box office upon release or after it came out on home video, then cable TV.
James Bond Movies
When talking about movies that feature casinos, this Bond movie is a classic – Casino Royale.
Casino Royale
James Bond is not just about crazy action sequences, here’s one that gives us some great casino scenes. “Casino Royale” follows British Secret Service agent 007-James Bond as he tries to beat Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelson) at high stakes baccarat so that MI6 can bankrupt him and stop his terrorist organization from financing further attacks against Western Europe.
Daniel Craig plays an older and more jaded James Bond, but he still has all of his charm and wit. It’s a fantastic movie with great casino scenes that have the audience on the edge of their seats!
One thing is for sure, movies that feature great casino scenes are atmospheric and invoke an air of luxury and glamour and none more so than “Diamonds are Forever”.
Diamonds are Forever
This Bond movie stars Sean Connery as James Bond and Jill St. John as Tiffany Case. It is the seventh film in the series and was released in 1971. The plot follows Bond, as he attempts to find out who killed his friend Felix Leiter and stop them before they can give SPECTRE unlimited power.
The cast also includes Charles Gray, Lana Wood, Putter Smith, and Jimmy Dean. “Diamonds are Forever” was nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Sound Effects Editing.
So there you have it – some of the best casino movies! Whether they’re classics or more recent releases, these films all provide great entertainment value with exciting gambling action that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.
