Casino (Movie Review)

Casino was Martin Scorsese’s follow-up to Goodfellas, and like that film it’s a study of flawed individuals who rise to the top before eventually falling down. But where Goodfellas was a bit muddled, Casino is much more focused and manages to pull great performances out of Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone.

The film focuses on Sam Rothstein (De Niro), who runs the Tangiers Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, but has mob ties with the Stardust Casino down the street. He enlists hooker/call girl Ginger McKenna (Stone) to help him run the show, while mob muscle Nicky Santoro (Pesci) heads out west to protect Rothstein.

There are no good guys in Casino, but the movie still feels compelling because of the strong performances by its leads and the fact that the story is based on actual events. It’s a real-life tale of sin and corruption, and the film makes you feel sorry for everyone involved, even though most of them deserve their comeuppance.

Casino is also interesting for the way it shows how casinos are designed to manipulate their patrons. For example, there are no clocks in the casino because the people running the establishment want you to lose track of time and keep playing. To do that, they use lighting and blaring music to create a mesmerizing environment and offer free alcohol to lower your inhibitions. Plus, there are no straight walkways to the exit; instead, you have to zigzag through gaming sections and past many opportunities to press your luck.