The 1995 epic "Casino" by Martin Scorsese explores the world of organized crime in Las Vegas in the 1970s and 1980s. This gambling movie, which stars Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci, recounts the rise and fall of casino CEO Sam "Ace" Rothstein as it examines themes of greed, loyalty, and treachery.
A montage that creates the scene and mood of the story opens the film. With the help of a voiceover from De Niro's persona, who describes the inner workings of the city and how it is ruled by the mob, we see the bright lights and glistening casinos of Las Vegas.
Sam falls in love with Ginger, a hustler, as he starts to transform the Tangiers into a tremendously successful casino. Sam is captivated to Ginger because she is attractive, likable, and cunning despite Nicky and others' warnings that she poses a threat to their business. Ginger marries Sam and joins his company, but her drug use and relationship with Nicky threaten to topple everything.
The historical accuracy and attention to detail in "Casino" are among its strong points. The movie is based on Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal's real-life experiences, who oversaw the Stardust and Fremont casinos in Las Vegas in the 1970s. Scorsese and his team went to considerable efforts to replicate the appearance and feel of Las Vegas at that time, and many of the events and personalities in the movie are based on real individuals and happenings.
The performances in the movie are a further asset. As Sam Rothstein, De Niro excels, giving his signature intensity and attention to the part. Stone portrays Ginger as a complicated woman who is both vulnerable and cunning, which is equally amazing. As the violent and unpredictable Nicky, Pesci, who won an Oscar for his role in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas," is once more terrifying.
The film also features a fantastic supporting cast, which includes Kevin Pollak as a dishonest casino boss and James Woods as a slimy con artist. As is characteristic of Scorsese's excellent direction, this movie has some stunningly beautiful images and some violent sequences that are well staged.
Corrupting effects of money and power are "Casino's" the main topic. Sam Rothstein is a fictional character who initially presents himself as an honest and morally pure businessman, but who finally falls victim to a life of crime and violence. He is prepared to ignore his bosses' questionable business methods and to turn a blind eye to the crimes committed by Nicky and his team as long as the money keeps rolling in. Ginger has also turned corrupt as a result of her connections to Sam and the mob. She becomes drug dependent and is willing to betray her husband and friends in order to achieve her goals. Her romantic relationship with Nicky also serves as a metaphor for the moral degradation all of the film's main characters have gone through.
The "head in a vice" scene, in which Nicky viciously interrogates a man by squeezing his head in a vice, is one of the movie's most iconic moments. Not only is this moment horrifyingly brutal, but it also demonstrates Nicky and the other characters in the movie's total lack of empathy and compassion. No matter who suffers as a result of their actions, they are prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.
Essentially, "Casino" explores the evil side of human nature in a strong and captivating way. It is a tale about people who, even at the cost of abandoning their own principles and values, will do anything to obtain wealth and power. The direction is great, the acting is superb, and the attention to detail is astounding. "Casino" is unquestionably worth seeing if you enjoy outstanding cinema in general or gangster movies in particular.
