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Director Martin Scorsese reunites with members of his GoodFellas gang (writer Nicholas Pileggi; actors Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Frank Vincent) for a three-hour epic about the rise and fall of mobster Sam "Ace" Rothstein (De Niro), a character based on real-life gangster Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. (It's modeled after on Wiseguy and GoodFellas and Pileggi's true crime book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas.) Through Rothstein, the picture tells the story of how the Mafia seized, and finally lost control of, Las Vegas gambling. The first hour plays like a fascinating documentary, intricately detailing the inner workings of Vegas casinos. Sharon Stone is the stand out among the actors; she nabbed an Oscar nomination for her role as the voracious Ginger, the glitzy call girl who becomes Rothstein's wife. The film is not as fast paced or gripping as Scorsese's earlier gangster pictures (Mean Streets and GoodFellas), but it's still absorbing. And, hey--it's Scorsese! --Jim Emerson
Good giftReviewed by Not Mark Twain, 2010-02-06
My father loved this movie, and was very happy it was in Full Screen! Only place I could find the full screen version!
Casino is A Sure BetReviewed by Glenn Gallagher, 2009-10-27
Casino is just as good as "Goodfellas", Scorsese's other wiseguy
film that often overshadows Casino. By just as good, I mean
brilliant, perfect, and mesmerizing. The movie is fast-paced, has a
great soundtrack, with music pulsing throughout the film, has the
best voice-over I've heard (it's integral to the story), the acting
is perfect, and well, it's just one of those movies that does
exactly what it tried to do.
Highly recommended as well is listening to commentary by Scorsese
and some of the actors. Scorsese's thoughts on the film are
wonderfully enriching to the film viewing experience itself. We
find out that Scorsese is interested in the "conflict between the
sacred and the profane" (no surprise there if you've seen other
Scorsese films), so he shows this right away at the beginning of
the film, by showing Lefty's blown-up body descending into a fiery
hell, while the music playing is Bach's "The Passion of Christ".
Sacred and profane, all within the first minute. Also, Scorsese
says that he wanted the film to explore "the spiritual growth" of
the gangsters who are "living in a sinner's paradise". Wow. Not
many directors can give you that in a film. Actress Sharon Stone
talks of "the psychological density" of the characters, and actor
Frank Vincent reminds us that the gangster "does not feel your
pain".
Wonderfully entertaining. The only caution I would give is that if
you are offended by harsh language and violence, stay clear from
this film. Otherwise, even though the film is close to three hours
long, it's so engrossing, it seems to be a thrill ride that's over
in too short a time.
review of CasinoReviewed by John Doyen, 2009-10-23
We love this combination of Robert Deniro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone. They take a real life story and make it come alive. Very entertaining
Flawed masterpieceReviewed by Ivan Rorick, 2009-08-28
The only problem I have with this movie is the performances of
DeNiro and Pesci. They are just too similar to their work in
Goodfellas. It seems almost like some kind of encore. Other than
that, excellent movie in the vein of Goodfellas and Mean Streets.
Not as good as those two msterpieces but on the same level. Highly
recommended.
Ivan Rorick
Robert De Niro, an icon of the contemporary Hollywood crime film...Reviewed by Roberto Frangie, 2009-01-30
Based on a true story, Martin Scorsese "Casino" is a motion picture
about two characters and their chance to rule the desert paradise
of Las Vegas... We are introduced in with all the lights, the
noise, the flashing and the colors of the town that doesn't sleep
day or night...
De Niro's character, Sam 'Ace' Rothstein, is based on Frank "Lefty"
Rosenthal, who was a hell of a handicapper... He was so good that
whenever he bets, he could change the odds for every bookmaker in
the country... Genius at what he was doing with numbers, he proved
to a lot of guys in the Chicago Mob that he was a tremendous earner
that he could make a lot of money for them... As a result, he was
able to accomplish whatever bookmaking, handicapping, he wanted to
do, with the umbrella of protection from those guys... 'Ace' runs
the casino with an iron fist refusing any outside people cheating
at his tables...
But he had a fatal flaw... 'Ace' always felt that he could
logically and intelligently deal with things, even to deal with
emotions... So he decides on making a life with a woman who, he
knows, does not necessarily love him... Anyway with such a sexy
wife and money to burn, 'Ace' was the epitome of opulence,
confidence and power...
Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone) was fascinating... Great woman, truly
beautiful, one of the best-known hustlers in town... For her, a guy
like 'Ace' was the ultimate score... So the way to Ginger's heart
was clearly money... 'Ace' knew that but he didn't care...What he
wanted was to marry her...
Sharon Stone really stood up to the challenge in her role as a
casino hustler who is so wild... She was young, fresh, confident,
looking absolutely fantastic as the independent woman whom
everybody desires...
Joe Pesci succeeds in his scary tough role as the strong man who
has nerve, and isn't afraid of the cops... He was reportedly a mob
hit man reputed to be a sadistic killer... (In one scene, his
character is shown torturing someone by putting his head in a
vise.)
To protect his friend and adviser, Nicky (Pesci) would beat to a
pulp any street guys who messed with 'Ace' or didn't give him the
proper respect... Over the course of their friendship Nicky
delivered a number of these messages always making sure that 'Ace'
didn't get his hands dirty... 'Ace' witnessed several beatings on
his behalf... Nicky's mission was to show his worth to the family
as an enforcer...
The clothes on De Niro looked very straight, more dangerous and
very threatening... They were very important cues to his character,
and again, to the progression of the story... 'Ace' was an
extremely fastidious guy... And, of course, as you follow the story
he starts out in more conservative colors and as things become more
chaotic, the colors become more chaotic...
