Casino tells the story of a mobster’s downfall as his world crumbles around him in the face of his own hubris and greed. It’s a dark, fascinating story that will resonate even with those who don’t like mob movies.
The film is a drama about Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro), a New York mobster who runs the Tangiers casino in Las Vegas with his longtime associate Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci). Aside from the gambling, the movie is about their complicated relationships and the lust for money and power that drives them.
Although it is a drama, the movie does contain some shocking violence. There is a torture-by-vice scene featuring a popped eyeball and a baseball bat beating that had to be trimmed to avoid an NC-17 rating. But these scenes are merely used to illustrate the depth of corruption and brutality in this world.
The movie also portrays the way casinos manipulate their customers. For example, the lack of clocks in a casino and windows designed to keep players unaware of the passage of time is meant to increase the chances that a player will make spur-of-the-moment decisions to gamble more money. Moreover, the more time that a customer spends at the tables, the greater the odds that the house will win.
Many people compare this film to Goodfellas, but it is a much more nuanced and interesting movie. While Goodfellas is famous for its shocking moments and over-the-top characters, Casino gives its actors more room to bring complexity and humanity to their roles. It is a fascinating look at the nature of criminals and the way that no one stays on top forever.