One of the best casino and poker films, Molly’s Game features Jessica Chastain as a woman who runs high-stakes poker games. It’s a gripping tale of greed, addiction, and hedonism that’s based on a true story.
Croupier, directed by Mike Hodges, is another gambling movie that’s been a cult classic for decades. It follows a writer named Jack Manfred who becomes involved in illegal gambling and his personal life starts to unravel.
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Casino (1995)
According to sure.bet, The 1995 box office hit Casino from Martin Scorsese was a huge success and remained one of the greatest movies about gambling. It starred Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone and was set in a sleazier time of Las Vegas.
The movie centers on Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Niro), who manages a casino in Las Vegas. He works hard to make money for the Mafia bosses.
But his methods aren’t all that legal and eventually he gets banned from all the casinos in town. He even has a battle with the Nevada State Gaming Commission.
During this time, the gambling industry in Vegas was booming. It was a time when the city was full of casinos that skimmed profits off of their patrons.
In the film, the main characters, Sam “Ace” Rothstein, Ginger McKenna and Nicky Santoro, are all based on real people. Ace is based on real-life mobster Frank Rosenthal, while Ginger is based on Rosenthal’s wife Geri McGee.
Nicky Santoro is based on mobster Anthony Spilotro. He’s also based on mobster Allen Glick, who died recently.
The Color of Money (1986)
The Color of Money 1986, which is a sequel to 1961’s The Hustler, directed by Martin Scorsese, tells the story of aging pool hustler Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) who is forced to give up his life of booze sales after his ex-wife leaves him. He soon meets Vincent (Tom Cruise), an outstanding pool player and the perfect opponent to help him rekindle his passion for hustling.
The film, like its predecessor, has a resonant message about gambling. It’s a cautionary tale about how a sport can destroy lives. It also highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and the dangers of impulsive behavior.
This isn’t a great movie, but it’s still worth watching. It doesn’t have the edgy, daring storytelling that some of Scorsese’s other films do, but it has a very real and honest portrayal of the world of gambling.
It’s also a very realistic, bleak depiction of the lives of gambling addicts. While it doesn’t offer the glitz and glamor of a Hollywood blockbuster, this is one of the best movies about gambling you’ve never seen.
It was made during the heyday of poker, and it holds up quite well as a poker-themed flick, especially since it has a great performance from Steve McQueen as a cocky, arrogant, and naive player who learns his lessons at the poker table. It’s a bit of a knockoff of The Hustler at the time, but it’s still an important movie that people should see.
21 (2008)
Based on the true story of 6 MIT students who used card counting and unorthodox math professor Micky Rosa to take Vegas for millions, 21 is a great movie to watch if you want to know more about the gambling industry. You will be able to learn a lot about how casinos work and what it takes to win at blackjack.
This is a classic gambling film and one that you will not want to miss. The plot is based on a true story and the movie was a huge hit for many people. It also has a great cast and a fun story.
Another great casino movie is Tricheurs, a French movie that is very funny and exciting to watch. This film is a heist movie that involves the use of illegal gambling and cheating.
In this movie, the main characters are an English professor by day and a heavy gambler by night. In the beginning, Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) wins all his winnings but soon he ends up losing all his money due to cheating and bad decisions.
The Cooler (2003)
A stylish and charming little gem of a movie, The Cooler 2003 tells the story of a professional loser, Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) who has rotten luck in the casino. However, things start to change when he meets and falls in love with Natalie (Maria Bello).
The Cooler is an Oscar-nominated film directed by Wayne Kramer and co-written by Frank Hannah. The movie has an acclaimed cast and a great reputation among critics. It received a positive review on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.
This film is known for its strong sexuality, violence, language and some drug use. The main characters smoke, drink, use strong profanity and admit to killing a person (Alec Baldwin) in the movie.
One of the most memorable gambling scenes in The Cooler is when Bernie plays craps at a Las Vegas casino. This scene was filmed over three weeks in Reno, Nevada.
The movie’s leading character, Bernie, has bad luck but is determined to change that. He works as a “cooler” at a Vegas casino, sent to specific tables in order to end someone’s hot streak. He is a good worker but his luck changes when he falls in love with Natalie.
Mississippi Grind (2015)
One of the greatest movies about gambling is Mississippi Grind 2015. Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, this film focuses on the relationship between two gamblers. It is a story that encapsulates the highs and lows of gambling, as well as how friendship can develop.
Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) is a gambler who is struggling with addiction. He is still looking for that perfect hand and has lost almost all of his money. He doesn’t want to lose anymore and he is hoping for a new start.
When Curtis (Ryan Reynolds) resurfaces after years of absence, Gerry believes this reunion to be a lucky omen. The duo decide to embark on a road trip south through the Southern US states to participate in a high stakes poker game in New Orleans.
They stop at various casinos along the way and their journey becomes a mix of comedy, misguided hope and paranoia. In addition to their escapades, the movie also deals with Gerry’s relationship with his ex-wife and Curtis’s romantic liaison with Sienna Miller.
The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
If there’s a movie that captures the glamor of gambling, it’s The Cincinnati Kid. The film, based on Richard Jessup’s novel of the same name, is a classic and remains a favorite among casino fans.
The movie’s plot is a surprisingly interesting one, and it combines light-hearted humor with deep plot lines to give you the kind of thrills you expect from a great poker game. It also offers some interesting commentary about the importance of integrity and dignity.
For a poker movie, this is not one of the most impressive or enthralling, but it’s still a very good film that focuses on a few key themes that will resonate with a lot of audiences. It’s a story about arrogance and greed, but it’s not as heavy-handed as Paul Newman’s The Hustler.
The story of Eric Stoner, a Depression-era poker player, and his quest to become the best in the world, The Cincinnati Kid features Edward G. Robinson as his opponent, a seasoned gambler who isn’t afraid to show his hand. The man isn’t a percentage player like Doc Sokal (Milton Selzer), but his skill at poker is undeniable and the final showdown between him and the Kid is a thrilling one.
