A casino is a place where a wide variety of games of chance are offered and gambling is the primary activity. While restaurants, free drinks, stage shows and other luxuries are often added to help draw in players, casinos would not exist without the games themselves. Slot machines, poker, blackjack, craps and roulette are the bread and butter of the modern casino, generating billions in profits for their owners every year.
The atmosphere inside a casino is intoxicating. Whether it’s the flashy decor, the music blaring from every corner or the sound of coins clinking in the slots, there is always a sense of excitement that makes you want to try your hand at some of the games. The people at a casino are also a fascinating bunch, from the regulars who strut their stuff like they own the place to the newbies who are hoping to strike it rich. They all come together with one thing in common – they’re having a good time.
Casino is one of Martin Scorsese’s best films and it features some incredible performances from its cast. De Niro is in top form as usual and Sharon Stone is a true revelation as the blonde hustler Ginger McKenna. Even the understated Joe Pesci manages to create a menacing presence as the mobster Santoro. The film may be three hours long but it never lags and remains a taut thriller throughout. It is a movie about corruption, treachery and greed, but there are no true good guys in this story of crime and punishment.