A casino is a facility where gambling is the primary activity. It may offer a variety of games, including table games like blackjack and roulette, as well as poker and sports betting. The game rules and regulations vary from place to place, but most casinos share similar characteristics. For example, they are typically smoke-filled, have high ceilings, and feature dramatic scenery. Many also provide stage shows and other attractions to attract patrons. Some casinos have a dress code and prohibit the use of cell phones. Others have windows and clocks on the casino floor, so that players do not lose track of time while they play.
Behind the flashing lights, free drinks and stage shows, however, are casinos that are rigged to slowly drain players of their money. For years mathematically inclined physicists have tried to turn the tables by using probability theory and game theory to exploit weaknesses in a rigged system. But casinos have a secret weapon to help them maintain their advantage: comps. Casinos are able to give away free rooms, meals, tickets to shows and even airline and limo service to their biggest spenders. These inducements are known as comps and they are the key to a casino’s profitability.
Martin Scorsese’s previous films, especially Goodfellas and Mean Streets, are much more streamlined in terms of character and plot, but Casino is a richly textured movie with a large cast. In addition to a brilliant performance by Robert De Niro as Sam Rothstein, Sharon Stone is superb as his feisty girlfriend Ginger McKenna. Joe Pesci as the mobster Santoro is another standout. But he is outshined by James Woods, who has one of the most impressive acting debuts ever in a major film role.
In addition to its depiction of corruption and violence, Casino is notable for the way it captures the essence of an era. Like Boogie Nights a few years later, it is a period piece that reflects on the tumultuous ’70s with a mixture of nostalgia and repulsion. But unlike a lot of gangster movies, this one doesn’t try to sell you on the glories of the old days or be too cynical about what will replace them.
Instead, it tells the story of how the Mafia lost control of a city that was minting billions and has been transformed into something more like Disneyland than the old wild west. While it is a drama, Casino is also an epic history lesson about the evolution of Vegas. It is a fascinating tale of hubris, greed and destruction. And it’s also a story of redemption. This is a film that deserves to be more widely seen.