Films are often a portal for our minds to wander into realities that aren’t fathomable in everyday life. However, movies based on fantasy aren’t the lone genre that can provide a captivating movie. Sometimes the best films are those based on actual events, the intrigue of watchThe Best Casino-Themed Movies Inspired by True Eventsing the big screen and knowing the story reflects a real-life situation can give viewers an attachment incomparable to fiction-based movies.
When reviewing the best movies inspired by true events, casino, and gambling-based films possess some of the most enticing and exciting storylines. With focused topics such as money, danger, glitz, and glamour, you should already know the gambling genre in cinema is primed to deliver blockbuster smashes.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at some of the most popular casino-themed flicks based on actual events. Whether you’re a movie fanatic in general or a bidding gambler, these films will be perfect for adding to your collection.
Casino
Perhaps the most well-known casino-based film in cinema history, the legendary director Martin Scorsese created an instant classic with Casino (1995). With the assistance of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone, are we surprised at its award-winning success?
The film’s plot is centered around the livelihood of Las Vegas casino bosses as they navigate the gambling world, which is notably different from today’s casino scene. Online casinos are now a viable option, but back when Vegas was at the height of its tenure during the 90s, Casino gave us a peak at how the Las Vegas bosses used to conduct their business.
Like most casino movies, you’ll be greeted with a storyline that is part drama and action. When you put two best friends against one another – a mafia enforcer and a casino executive – to compete for a gambling empire, and the audience understands the consequences are a reality, it’s a recipe for greatness.
21
Six MIT students competing versus Las Vegas; what could go wrong?
The film itself was inspired by the non-fiction bestseller ‘Bringin Down the House: The Inside Story of 6 MIT Students Who Took Las Vegas for Millions’, and this heist drama film doesn’t deter from the true events where a blackjack team managed to overcome the house edge and beat the casino at their own game.
Controversy surrounded the film on its release, mainly due to its casting. However, this didn’t halt its success; 21 (2008) was the number one film in the US and Canada for two weeks running from its release.
Molly’s Game
When Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Michael Cera, and Kevin Costner were announced for the 2017 film Molly’s Game, this star-studded cast had already sold the movie as audiences were instantly drawn in. However, despite the impressive cast and the big budget, it was the actual storyline and how close director Aaron Sorkin kept the movie to its real-life roots.
The film is based on Molly Bloom, a former professional skier who retired and underwent a dramatic career change in the world of poker. Molly becomes involved in one of Los Angeles’s most prominent underground poker gatherings, and of course, it isn’t plain sailing, but we don’t give spoilers around here, so be sure to put this movie on your must-watch list.
High Roller
You can’t get closer to a real-life gambling feature film than the biopic High Roller (2003). It focuses on the life of Stu Ungar, an American professional poker and gin player.
Poker fans, in particular, will relish when watching this film, as Ungar was and still is known as one of the best poker players of all time. As a three-time winner of the World Series of Poker, High Roller covers the life and times of Ungar, who began playing poker at the tender age of 10 and ran an underground gambling scene by age 14.
The movie, however, isn’t a reflection of the glitz and glamour of a gambling lifestyle. While Ungar’s poker skills have positioned him in the casino hall of fame, his legacy was dampened due to a rocky lifestyle and early death. The movie perfectly represents the highs and lows of his life but also pays respect to the elite-level talent he owned inside the casino.
