For most people, the idea of gambling brings to mind twinkly lights, free drinks, and a chance to win big. But the truth is that, unless you’re lucky enough to hit the jackpot and retire on your own private island, the odds are that you will lose money. There’s a reason that casinos don’t throw away free money — they have a set of built-in advantages that ensure that the house will always win.
The movie Casino is based on Frank Rosenthal and his Stardust hotel, but it’s really about Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Niro). He’s brought out to Vegas by mob bosses to run the Tangiers casino under a false front, but he can’t help falling in love with former call girl/hustler Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone) and getting involved in her rackets. Meanwhile, mob strongman Nicky Santoro (Pesci) is just itching to get back into the action.
Casino is Martin Scorsese’s most violent film, but it’s not meant to shock purely for style or gratuity. It’s meant to show what happens when a mob-run town gets taken over by giant gambling corporations. And it’s a fascinating history lesson, showing how the mafia controlled Vegas but lost control to greed and lust. It’s also one of the best films of the 1980s. And Sharon Stone may have delivered the greatest performance of her career.