The Best Movies to Watch if You Enjoy Playing at Casinos and Gambling
If you’re a regular casino goer, you probably already miss the casino scene and the exciting vibes it could give. While many land casinos have already reopened, some of them only operate at a limited capacity. Many are still hesitant about visiting public places too like casinos to ensure their safety. Luckily, there are a few great ways to get the casino vibe going without leaving your home.
There is always the option for you to check online casino reviews and look for an online live casino with real money or binge-watch casino-themed movies that you can easily stream online. What’s great about watching casino-themed movies is that they could take you into the world of intense drama, action, and even comedy as you enjoy seeing casino hotspots like Las Vegas as well.
Not sure what to watch just yet? Here are the best gambling movies that you should add to your to-watch list.
Molly’s Game (2017)
Many gambling movies are based on real-life events like this film directed by Aaron Sorkin. Molly’s Game is a true story of a 26-year-old former professional skier who changed her career after a terrible accident. This film is based on Molly Bloom’s memoir and is starred by Jessica Chastain.
The main character, Bloom, found herself involved in running an underground poker business at a bar and eventually ended up owning her underground poker empire, but unfortunately, she becomes the center of an FBI investigation after it was exposed.
The House (2017)
If you want to lighten up the mood a bit as you enjoy watching casino scenes, you can give this 2017 movie a shot. The House is starred by Will Ferrell, Ryan Simpkins, Amy Poehler, and Jason Mantzoukas. It is directed by Andrew Jay Cohen and you’ll surely get a laugh watching this.
The House is about a couple who has a daughter who is off to college. Before their daughter’s acceptance to the university of her choice, the couple thought that this will be funded by their community’s scholarship program. However, the said program was no longer available and the couple was desperate to raise their daughter’s college fund which eventually led them to start an underground casino.
21 (2008)
Another film based on real-life events is Robert Luketic’s 21 that was released in 2008. This is a great watch if you’re a big fan of blackjack. This movie follows a math professor and five students from MIT who were trained to become experts in card counting.
Starring Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, and Kevin Spacey, this movie will take you to casinos in Las Vegas and get a feel of what casino gaming is like for high rollers. What’s appealing about this is that knowing that the characters are based on real people who earned millions because of their card counting skills.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
If you enjoy casino movies, it’s just wrong if you haven’t seen Ocean’s Eleven just yet. It is a film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starred by Hollywood big names like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, and Julia Roberts.
The movie is about a group of people who are planning a casino heist and it may seem familiar to some because it is a modern-day remake of a 1960 movie also called Ocean’s 11 starring Peter Lawford, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin.
Rounders (1998)
If poker is your favorite casino game, the 1998 fil Rounders may just be something for you. This film is directed by John Dahl and is starred by Matt Damon and Edward Norton. The movie follows Mike McDermott played by Damon who is a reformed gambler.
McDermott has stopped gambling as a law student after losing his bankroll worth $30,000 in a game. Since then, he just focused on being a law student and building a solid relationship with his partner Jo played by Gretchen Mol. However, things change when his childhood friend Worm played by Edward Norton showed up and asked him for help to pay off debts through gambling.
The Gambler (1974 and 2014)
It does seem like it’s quite common for gambling films to be remade and shot in the modern-day like The Gambler. The original The Gambler film was released in 1974 and is starred James Caan, Paul Sorvino, and Lauren Hutton. It’s about an English professor who is privately dealing with a gambling addiction.
The 2014 remake of this film then stars Mark Wahlberg who also plays a character that is a lot similar to Caan’s role in the 1974 film. This remake isn’t exactly alike but it shares the same plot as Wahlberg’s role is also a college professor and author. Both films are worth the watch as you get to see how different things have been over the years when it comes to casino gaming.
