Hollywood has, over the years, constantly flirted with Las Vegas and the casino. There are far too many films to mention where casinos are heavily featured, but we thought we’d look at the top five we feel perfectly bring them both together.
The Hangover
Back in 2009, Todd Phillips brought a movie to the screen which captured a generation. The first film in The Hangover series was the most popular and, at the time, was the top-grossing R-rated movie of all time, taking $467 million at the global box-office. The film follows a group of guys who venture to Las Vegas for a bachelor party – one in which they wake up having lost the groom. They must try to get over their hangovers and discover what happened the night before. The film is completely set in Las Vegas and heavily features one of the most famous casinos on the strip, Las Vegas.
Croupier
We cross the pon to the UK for the next film on our list – Croupier – the break-out movie for British actor Clive Owen. Owen plays a croupier looking for a story to write about for a new novel, immersing himself in the London gaming world where he gets more than he bargained for. The film features many casino scenes in live casino sites, all set in fictitious establishments, but remains one of the best casino movies ever filmed.
Casino Royale
The clue is in the title of this James Bond movie – the first film for new 007 Daniel Craig who, in one scene, is involved in a heavy game of Texas Hold ‘Em against Mads Mikkelsen’s villainous Le Chiffre. It’s a game that almost takes Bond’s life, but in terms of its accuracy, remains as one of the best casino scenes in any of the 007 adventures – and there has been a lot!
Ocean’s Eleven
The 2001 movie Ocean’s Eleven was a remake of the classic 1960s Rat Pack movie of the same name, but was one which took the essence of the original and made it better. Set completely in Las Vegas, the film heavily features three casinos – all which George Clooney’s Danny Ocean and his crew of crooks, plan to rob. Those three casinos were the MGM Grand, the Bellagio and The Mirage and all are seen throughout this top movie.
Casino
Perhaps the greatest casino movie ever is the 1995 Martin Scorsese film Casino. The film features a stellar Hollywood cast, including the likes of Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone, James Woods and movie legend Robert De Niro. The film follows the rise and fall of a mob-run Vegas casino, led by De Niro’s Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein. The film is also based on true events, which makes it all so much more believable.
