As a period piece of mob life, Casino has been a hit, but it also generated some backlash from critics who argued that Martin Scorsese was repeating himself with another soundtrack-heavy period-piece starring Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci. While this criticism is valid, it overlooks the fact that Casino offers a unique perspective on the world of gambling — one that highlights how casinos use a combination of skill and chance to create a thrilling experience for players.
Casino isn’t simply about gambling — it’s about a world of corruption, betrayal, and violence that exists underneath the shiny surface of the Las Vegas strip. As a result, the film feels like something of a bridge between Goodfellas and Scorsese’s more overtly religious-tinged parables.
Throughout Casino, the characters are preoccupied with whether their actions are being seen by more powerful forces. This is a Scorsese film, after all, so some degree of voyeurism is to be expected, but Casino elevates this concern beyond the standard tropes of the genre by showing how all forms of power are ultimately a hollow shell suffocating with unchecked avaricious desire.
The film also makes this point in the ways it dresses its stars, from the glamorous cocktail dresses and crimson blazers of Sam and Ginger to the tackier white leather miniskirts and thigh-high boots of Ace Rothstein. Every outfit reflects the character’s underlying darkness, as well as the hope that they will eventually be able to break free from it.