Few films have captured the destructive, macho world of casinos so thoroughly as Martin Scorsese’s Casino. It takes the basic formula of Goodfellas – telling a story from the perspective of people who controlled other people who were criminals – and flips it to give audiences an inside look at the people who ran Vegas before it was turned into a glitzy desert playground for the masses. This is a movie of greed, lust, and betrayal, but also one of human tragedy.
Casino examines how we get fooled into throwing our hard-earned cash away on games that have a built-in advantage, giving the house a virtual guarantee of gross profit. Even the biggest bettors are offered extravagant inducements like free spectacular entertainment and luxury living quarters, while lesser bettors get reduced-fare transportation and hotel rooms. But the fact is that most people end up losing money hand over fist.
One of the reasons for this is that casinos are designed to manipulate our senses and make us think we’re having a good time. They’re dimly lit, often with window tint that dampens the sunlight. They’re usually labyrinthine, with no clear way to an exit, and they serve booze nonstop. This numbs our senses and lowers our inhibitions, making it easier to lose track of time and keep playing.
In this movie, everyone gets their comeuppance for their greed and hubris, including a great performance from Robert De Niro as Ace Rothstein, a slippery gangster who knows how to turn a smile into a snarl at the drop of a hat. But the real star of this film is Sharon Stone, who is simply remarkable as Ginger, a woman who teeters on the edge of madness in her pursuit of the almighty dollar.