Best casino movies ever: Have you seen them all?
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High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story
High Roller: The Story of Stu Ungar, starring Michael Imperioli as Stu Ungar, is a 2003 biopic focusing on the exciting and troubled life of poker and gin legend Stu Ungar. High Roller: Stu Ungar's story is sincere, and he goes out of his way to describe Stu's ups and downs. On his final night, Stu Ungar tells the story of his life to a stranger (Michael Pasternak), sharing details he's never shared with anyone.His story begins with growing up as a bookmaker, the son of a tournament gin player, and his transition to poker. He also spoke about the personal aspects of his married life, the birth of his daughter and his cocaine addiction which ultimately led to the breakdown of his marriage.The film ends with Stu recounting his third WSOP Main Event victory a year before his death. After finishing his story, he leaves the motel room with the stranger (who we now know represents Death) and takes Stu out of this world.In addition to Imperioli's vital role as Stu Ungar, the film also stars many of the biggest names in poker, including Vince van Patten, Al Bernstein and Andy Glazer. If you've wanted to learn more about the five-time WSOP champion, this movie should be on your watch list.Bob le flambeur
The only non-English-language film on our best gambling movies list, Bob le flambeur is a 1956 French gangster film that does a great job. The film revolves around a former bank robber and criminal named Bob Montagne, played by Roger Duchesne.For the past 20 years, Bob has lived a relatively ordinary life, gambling for a living without breaking the law. But after years of successful gambling, Bob ran poorly and suddenly went broke. When his luck worsened, everyone he depended on suddenly abandoned him. Bob plans a significant heist to get back on his feet, which turns out to be more complicated than he intended.Bob le flambeur has been primarily an underground film for years and has only gained widespread recognition in the last few decades. With director Jean-Pierre Melville's work only recently in the spotlight, "Bear of Fire" is widely recognised as one of the finest films of the French neo-noir era.
The Hangover
"The Hangover" tells the story of four friends who travel to Las Vegas for the ultimate bachelor party, only to lose their bachelor after a night of drinking. The hilarity ensued as the trio tried to figure out what they were doing the night before.As they left their apartment, they saw the bachelor's bed pierced into a statue outside Caesars Palace, and when they asked the footman about their car, he gave them an LVPD vehicle.After discovering they had been drugged by roof tiles the night before, they tried to go back the same way, only to be stunned by their astonishing behaviour.This resulted in many ups and downs, hysterically funny exchanges, and some impressive homages to other iconic Hollywood films.One of those moments is a Rain Main-style montage of Allen (Zach Galifianakis) counting cards at blackjack to win big money. In addition to the legality of card counting, "The Hangover" was a massive hit in 2009, becoming the second-highest R-rated comedy of all time in the United States.It led to the production of two other films, which led to the "Hangover Trilogy" we know today. As is the case with the trilogy, the first part is the best because it has a very charismatic cast and even some hilarious cameos, most notably Mike Tyson.Tyson initially declined to appear in the film, but audiences so well received his character that he reprised it in The Hangover Part II.California Split
"California Divided," directed by the legendary Robert Altman, is a heartwarming 1974 comedy. It stars George Siegel as Bill and Elliott Gould as Charlie, two gamblers who become friends over a shared love of gambling. Charlie is an old player, always looking for a successive big win, while Bill still has a day job and isn't fully committed to casino life.The two friends travelled to Reno, where they pooled their funds to play a game of poker with Bill, in which one of his opponents, four-time WSOP champion Amarillo Slim, played himself. Bill won the game and got carried away, thinking he was crazy.But shortly after that victory, something quickly got him into trouble. The film then moves into fifth gear, following the duo's wild journey and quest to hit the jackpot. A proper gambling movie contains many casino games and shows two players playing games like poker, blackjack, craps or trying roulette strategies like a reverse martingale.
Filmed on a relatively small budget of $5 million, "California Divided" left a massive legacy for gamblers worldwide. Today, it is regarded as one of the best casino movies of all time, and we have no doubts about including it on our top list.Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Guy Richie is known for consistently delivering action-packed, exciting crime comedies, and this one is no exception. The film stars famous British actors, including Jason Fleming, Dexter Fletcher and Nick Moran. The cult film also helped launch the acting careers of former footballer Vinnie Jones and former professional diver Jason Statham.Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels follow four old friends and petty criminals who decide to pool their hard-earned money to brag about the local gangster in a three-card game. But things turned worst when Edie the Card Shark lost to the gang in a rigged game.After failing, the protagonist falls into massive debt and has to find half a million pounds to avoid dire consequences. With crime, robbery, violence and unmistakably British humour, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels are among the most popular gambling films.With a production budget of just $1,350,000, the film raised more than 20 times and was a huge commercial success. It also produced a seven-part spin-off TV show in 2000 and hailed as one of the most incredible and most unique gambling-themed movies ever made.
