Thanks to Martin Scorsese’s direction, plus an award-winning turn from Tom Cruise, The Color of Money is proof that not all sequels have to be scams, even when they are, in fact, about scams. After he became the laureate of loneliness in Casablanca and Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Humphrey Bogart turned on the charm in films like Sabrina and The African Queen. Sitting in-between those two periods is The Big Sleep, a charming, sleazy noir about a private eye who flirts with Lauren Bacall and caresses her gambling debts.

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In a decade that saw Robert Altman make “MASH,” “McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” “The Long Goodbye,” “Nashville” and “3 Women,” it makes sense his gambling drama “California Split” has gone relatively unseen since its 1974 release. It may not have the ensemble dynamics or the psychological hold of his other titles, but “Split” is an assured two-hander between stars Elliot Gould and George Segal and an efficient beginner’s course to many of Altman’s auteur tendencies. Eschewing much of a traditional plot, the drama is a study of behaviors chronicling the freindship between rookie Bill Denny (Segal) and his mentor Charlie Waters (Gould), a wisecracking pro. The two’s bond grows deeper over the course of the film, as Bill becomes more addicted and finds himself in hot water with rival players and hotheaded bookies.

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The world of high-stakes gambling has long been an enticing playground for filmmakers, inspiring a plethora of stunning films that immerse audiences into the exhilarating casino atmosphere. These movies often feature intricate storylines, captivating characters, and thrilling twists that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. By exploring themes like obsession, addiction, deceit, and redemption, some of the top movies about gambling reveal the complex nature of human beings and the consequences of their actions. While not strictly a poker movie, the classic scene means Casino Royale has to make the list. The classic showdown between James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, and the villainous Le Chiffre, played by Mads Mikkelsen, has had poker players fantasizing about playing poker for the highest stakes—with millions of dollars on the line.

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This isn’t one of Scorsese’s best movies — and as we said earlier, The Hustler is the better overall film — but it’s solid and despairing. Like with Scorsese’s mobsters, these are people who are magnetic but not ones you’d want to spend time with in real life. Matt Damon is terrific as the main character, a brilliant https://true-fortune.us/bonus/ poker player who tries to bail out his friend Worm, played by Ed Norton. John Malkovich plays the iconic Teddy KGB, and John Turturro is Knish, the wise old grinder. The movie is filled with realistic characters and covers the highs and lows and massive swings of no-limit hold ’em as well as other games.

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• If you can’t participate, watch these best Netflix gambling movies to enjoy the natural high.
• The world of high-stakes gambling has long been an enticing playground for filmmakers, inspiring a plethora of stunning films that immerse audiences into the exhilarating casino atmosphere.
• To pay off his debts, Howard must get his hands on a rare and costly gem, all the while attempting to prevent his addiction from harming his relationships and personal life.
• While not strictly a poker movie, the classic scene means Casino Royale has to make the list.
• The poker is almost an aside to what is more of a meditation on the role of luck in life and what gambling for a living can do to a man’s soul.
• The memorable casino scene is when Tommy DeSimone approaches the craps table with lots of money to place bets.

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Sally Matthews (Sarandon) relocates to Atlantic City, becoming a prominent blackjack dealer. She encounters Lou Pascal (Lancaster), a mobster, who saves her & helps her achieve success but leads to trouble. In this action-packed heist film, Danny Ocean, played by George Clooney, gets a skilled group together to rob the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. The movie offers plenty of excitement and drama as one of the top casino heist movies.

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Thankfully, this list goes through the trouble of finding 30 of them and are required viewing for movie buffs everywhere. The discrepancies between movie portrayals and real gambling do more than just entertain; they shape perceptions. Viewers may come away with distorted views on the ease of beating the house, the prevalence of monumental wins, or the effectiveness of certain gambling strategies. Next time you want to take a break from online gambling and try another form of entertainment, check out some great movies about gambling.

• The game is on; they’re about to outsmart the casino at its own game.
• A calm and collected early feature from Melville, “Bob le Flambeur” practically oozes cool and anticipated the French New Wave with its innovative use of handheld camerawork and the jump cut.
• His intentions, although seemingly benevolent, become increasingly blurry as the narrative unfolds, providing a rich, ambiguous moral ground for the viewer to traverse.
• The response to “Uncut Gems” was overwhelmingly positive, with a strong approval rating of 91% on the review website Rotten Tomatoes.
• Another great documentary series on Netflix, Untold takes a good hard look at some of the biggest scandals in sports – from match-fixing to doping and performance-enhancing substances.
• Matt Damon is terrific as the main character, a brilliant poker player who tries to bail out his friend Worm, played by Ed Norton.

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The feelings of a gambling addict are portrayed perfectly, as Toback himself has had gambling addictions in the past and tries to convey his feeling through the movie. A wonderful drama about an English language teacher who gets addicted to gambling; and gets chased by debts and creditors. This British crime comedy from Guy Ritchie follows four actual partners-in-crime who have to make up the debt they owe from losing a rigged card game.

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A good gambling movie will have strong and believable characters that the audience can invest in. The characters should be relatable and sympathetic, and their journey should be one that is entertaining to watch. Starring Oscar Isaac, “The Card Counter” is about the exploration of personal redemption set against the backdrop of poker tables.

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He doesn’t even seem interested in casinos, which is weird since the movie is called Casino . The result is California Split (1974), a wonderful character study that delves deep into the dangers of gambling addiction. There’s no denying this entry as a classic of the gambling movie ilk, and although it hasn’t aged as well as some of its older counterparts, it will forever be remembered for its tangible tone and rock-solid narrative. Directed by Robert Altman, this gambling saga tells the tale of its two primary characters, Bill Denny and Charlie Waters — played by George Segal and Elliot Gould, respectively.

‘Molly’s Game’

You can find many casino movies on Netflix that are worth watching for educational purposes and entertainment as well. Some of those movies even won awards for the way they represented the stories of different gamblers, their struggles, and their obsession. Mel Gibson plays a poker expert in the Old West, who’s making his way to a renowned tournament to prove his mettle. Along the way, he encounters many obstacles as he attempts to earn enough money to pay the tournament entry fee. But it’s fun, light-hearted and full of gambling, so it earns its spot. Most gambling movies focus on the casino’s glamor and excitement, but what about the unsung heroes that work the tables?

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• The result was an absolute pleasure of a plot that fully realizes its main players.
• Bob Montagne, the main character of the film, is known as an extremely lucky gambler who’s a big hit amongst the populace.
• The movie was released a few months before Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 Series of Poker main event.
• Every gambler that I’ve ever known can find their story in here, perfectly expressed.
• The nuances of human connection, ethical dilemmas, and the subtle yet pervasive impacts of addiction are masterfully woven into a story that is emotionally gripping and morally reflective.
• Remember to set limits, educate yourself, avoid chasing losses, take breaks, seek support when needed, and make informed choices about where and how you gamble.

• It may be a bit old for today’s poker audience, but those who don’t mind watching a classic will surely have fun.
• The simple definition of a croupier is an individual who’s in charge of running a gaming table.
• Many argue that movies frequently miss the mark in showing the cognitive distortions and emotional challenges faced by real gamblers.
• And that’s hardly scratching the surface of what makes Croupier so great.
• Eva Green makes a great Bond girl, just like Mads Mikkelsen plays frighteningly the role of the bad guy, Le Chiffre.
• Somehow director William Dieterle fits a romantic ending into a gambling film where lives are lost just as easily as money is.

There was a glorious point in the ‘90s when Matt Damon seemed only to play unassuming boy genius to his degenerate friends, and Rounders is arguably his finest portrayal of the golden boy archetype. The typical gambling tropes (mobsters and a crushing debt catalyst) are present. Still, there’s a cerebral element to the filmmaking that makes Rounders awe-inspiring even to someone who only thinks the river is a body of water. McDermott sees inside the mind (and hand) of a diabolically stoic Russian mobster by watching how he eats Oreos. That’s enough to put Rounders on the shortest of shortlists of best gambling movies ever. Bloom eventually moves to Los Angeles and finds herself hosting high-stakes poker games game that attracts the rich and famous from around L.A.

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For those looking to these films for a true depiction of casino life and gambling psychology, it’s crucial to recognize where Hollywood’s representation diverges from real-world gambling. With a weakness for betting on sports, no gamble is too big for the larger-than-life Howard, played gamely by Adam Sandler. The movie is frenetic and chaotic, much like the character of Howard. The audience is along for the ride as they watch Howard succeed in his risks when they pay off and his failures when his gambling addiction overtakes him.

The nuances of human connection, ethical dilemmas, and the subtle yet pervasive impacts of addiction are masterfully woven into a story that is emotionally gripping and morally reflective. As the young John is indoctrinated into the world of professional gambling under the elder John’s tutelage, “Hard Eight” unravels not merely as a tale of luck, risk, and addiction, but as a reflection on mentorship and paternalism. The elder John, guiding his protégé through the labyrinthine paths of gambling, oscillates between a figure of salvation and a harbinger of doom. His intentions, although seemingly benevolent, become increasingly blurry as the narrative unfolds, providing a rich, ambiguous moral ground for the viewer to traverse.

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When he makes one of the biggest bets of his life, his world starts to cave in around him as debt collectors come calling. Uncut Gems follows Adam’s character as he looks to keep his life intact as his high-risk gambling endeavors threaten to tear it all apart. Paul Newman and Tom Cruise star in this film that’s all about the game of pool. Newman plays the part of former pool hustler “Fast Eddie” Felson, who decides to make a comeback to the game he once dominated.

• A Martin Scorsese gem, Casino is about the competition between best friends, one a Mafioso and the other a casino executive, for a gambling empire and a fast-living socialite.
• Have you ever had one of those days at the race course where you can’t stop winning?
• You can meet different characters in the picture – cowboys, Native Americans, girls of easy virtue, and police officers who prefer corruption.
• Instead, this refreshing film takes a different approach entirely, by telling the true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a lady who runs an underground poker empire for Hollywood’s rich and famous.
• Money Explained though is a documentary that goes deep into the institution of money and how it works.
• After finding out that a massive sum of inheritance money is being left to an autistic brother (played by Dustin Hoffman) he never even knew he had, Charlie gets the bright idea to somehow lift all of that money from his older sibling.

MOLLY’S GAME (

And with Dead Money set for release September 2024, there’s yet another poker flick that could eventually make it to the list. If you got stuck in the never-ending search for an ideal movie on Netflix, it is time to stop scrolling. While it is an incredibly popular pastime, it is hardly a surprise that there are so many true stories that are possible to be told. In fact, it would not be a surprise if we were to continue to see many more of these be told in the future given the growth the industry has been afforded. However, McQueen is electric and the penultimate scene, when the final hands are revealed, is one of the best ever filmed. Their new friendship sees them both commit everything to a scintillating gambling trip to Reno.

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Our list begins with a modern classic, “Casino Royale,” where the world of espionage intersects with the equally risky poker realm. Daniel Craig’s debut as James Bond redefined the character, bringing a gritty realism to the franchise. The film’s gripping central scene takes place at Montenegro’s luxurious Casino Royale, where Bond must outplay the sinister Le Chiffre in a nerve-racking game of Texas Hold’em poker. In this article, we explore the top 10 best casino movies of all time, providing you with cinematic gems that captivate both gambling aficionados and film lovers alike. Translated as either “Bob the Gambler” or “Bob the High Roller,” Bob le flambuer is a cinematic breakdown of what happens when someone is forced to risk it all.