Gambling has been a part of human culture for millennia. From dice in 2300 BC China to baccarat in the 1400s, gambling has been a way for humans to release feel-good hormones to manage daily stressors.
Unlike other mob movies, Casino takes a different approach to storytelling by focusing on one key character at a time and letting the audience follow him or her through their decisions. This makes the characters more relatable and enables the viewer to feel more sympathy when these characters get their comeuppance.
The film follows Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Niro), a Jewish American gambling expert and handicapper who is hired by Chicago mafia boss Remo Gaggi to oversee day-to-day casino and hotel operations in Las Vegas. The movie also features Joe Pesci as Nicky Santoro, a made man who protects Sam and his crew and the casino from police and media attention.
The film’s story is based on the true story of Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, who helped the mob take over the Teamsters union in Las Vegas by buying casinos. The movie is a riveting tale of greed, treachery and murder that is not only entertaining but also quite tragic at times. It’s a must-see for all fans of mob films and Martin Scorsese in particular.