Top 10 Casino Movies
These Casino Movies Are Your Best Bets.
Not everyone can be lucky enough to live in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but for those of us who don’t, casino movies manage to capture all the glitz and glamour for us. While I’ve never gotten a chance to visit a fancy casino, I’ve tried my luck with online casino games. Of course, if I did win big then I probably wouldn’t be writing an article about casino movies right now, but that’s neither here nor there. After all, it’s not about winning it’s about the thrill that comes with the possibility of winning. That’s where these ten movies come in for those of you who can’t find the time to visit Sin City to play some cards or try your luck at dice. Now, not all of these movies are just about gambling, but casinos do play a big role in all of them. So, before you throw in your fate with lady luck, check out these great movies to see how Hollywood has managed to win big.
10. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
I’ll admit that Fear and Loathing isn’t a movie for anyone. In my eyes, though it’s a drug-fueled odyssey through the trials and tribulations of Las Vegas. While there aren’t too many scenes that specifically take place in casinos, the ones that do are twisted and nightmarish. Johnny Depp stars in this adaptation of the Hunter S. Thompson article he wrote for Rolling Stone and it certainly captures the spirit of the late gonzo writer. In fact, it very well might be one of Depp’s absolute best films, but that’s a discussion for another top 10 list. Until then, if you’re looking for a casino movie that will stand out from all the others in both the best and most twisted kinds of ways, you’re going to love this one.
9. The Cooler
Despite the bright lights and shouts of joy from winning customers, not all casinos are happy places and a lot of casino movies make that loud and clear. The Cooler is the tale of a man who has made a profession of his bad luck. How you might ask? Well, he’s a cooler. In other words, he’s paid to make sure his bad luck rubs off on people who have a hot streak going for them (hence “cooler”). It’s one of the most depressing-sounding jobs in the world, so what loveable schlub could possibly do it justice? How about William H. Macy? Of course, things get complicated for the loveable loser when his luck starts to change when he meets his own lady luck and the casino owners aren’t too happy about that.
8. Owning Mahowny
Speaking of the downside seen in a lot of casino movies, Owning Mahowny is exactly that. It doesn’t take place in the bright lights of Las Vegas and instead features a gambling addict who makes weekly trips to Atlantic City. His addiction slowly starts to get the better of him and soon he finds himself embezzling funds from the bank he works at in order to fuel his “hobby.” If you haven’t had a chance to check out this film starring the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman, and was considered one of the best movies of 2003 by Roger Ebert. Needless to say, it’s one that’s definitely worth renting in the future. Unlike a lot of the films on this list, Owning Mahowny is a character-driven movie that takes a hard look at the domino effect gambling addiction can have.