While movie critics and fans might be divided about what makes a good casino film, there’s no denying that some are one step ahead of the competition. It’s often said that fact is stranger than fiction, and with many of the greatest movies of all time being modelled on true stories, that’s one thing that both 21 and Casino have in common. But there’s a lot more beneath the surface that makes both of these films classics for so many people.
While the whole landscape of casino gaming and betting has changed significantly since the late 2000s, it’s an industry that has aged well. The majority of gambling now takes place online, and card payments and bank transfers are the new sheriffs in town. Card counting is impossible online due to random number generators and algorithms that shuffle packs randomly at any time.
The rise in electronic gambling payment methods has resulted in online gaming with a bank transfer becoming one of the most popular ways people deposit and withdraw their funds from a casino. While digital casinos have added new dimensions to payment methods, 21 and especially Casino were set long before the reduced prevalence of cash. What is it about these two films that still appeals to so many movie and gambling fans?
The success behind 21 (2008)
It’s difficult to believe that it’s been over 16 years since the release of 21. Its inspiration was taken from the best-selling book that detailed the escapades of a group of highly-skilled intellectuals who mastered the art of card counting and took some Vegas casinos for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
21 was a huge box office smash in the 2000s and remains one of the most successful gambling movies ever made. Unlike some other casino-based movies, 21’s story focuses on an intriguing story about bettors who actually defeated the casino. Robert Luketic’s film also has a blistering soundtrack, with the Rolling Stones and MGMT both featuring – the latter being one of the standout bands of their era.
21 blends a true story with elements of an underdog tale, which is a large part of why it was so successful. Even if it is an underhanded and frowned-upon way of getting one over on the casino, the fact that this is at the core of the film that encompasses a great cast and soundtrack are reasons why it’s still so popular, nearly two decades after it first hit the big screen.
Casino (1995) – a Scorsese classic
While the general consensus is that Casino falls slightly behind some of the more revered Scorsese hits such as Goodfellas, Raging Bull and Taxi Driver, Casino remains a brilliant film. Some critics think that Casino suffers from being a Scorsese film and that it faced an unfair challenge living up to the likes of Goodfellas, which came out just four years before.
Much of Casino’s success stems from the cast and director. If you put together Pesci, De Niro and Scorsese, it’s going to be a challenge to make a film that isn’t considered a bona fide classic. Robert De Niro is the very definition of an A-lister, consistently travelling around the world to events where people pay top dollar to see him and ask about his iconic career.
The film focuses on the Mob’s heyday of the 1950s, when they used Vegas casinos as money-laundering machines for their vast criminal enterprises. Casino has all the hallmarks of a Scorsese classic – the slick style, the phenomenal soundtrack, and the viciousness and morbidity of Mob films that bring in such a strong audience.
Casino appeals to the darker side of those who enjoy the film industry, where people are interested in the murkiness that underpins much of the glamour and history of casino gaming. Mix this with Fleetwood Mac, The Animals, Cream and Little Richard, who provide the soundtrack, and it becomes pretty obvious why Casino has managed to stand the test of time, as it celebrates its 30th anniversary next year.
Casino-based films are not as abundant as you’d think. While 21 and Casino are both great examples, there are plenty that didn’t hit the mark and were roundly panned by critics and cinemagoers.
The success of these films has underlying components. Of course, a film doesn’t just stand the test of time because of the subject matter it deals with. One hundred years from now, people will still be talking about Martin Scorsese, and the film 21 has a truly unique angle that covers the intricate nature of when the casino loses – on the very rare occasion that it does.
However, attempts at blockbuster heist films like Ocean’s Eleven have fallen way short of the mark – especially in comparison to 21 and Casino. To make a great film, a number of things need to come together, including a highly-rated cast, director and storyline. Once you have all those ingredients, the end product is usually a revered title that stands the test of time.
