A gangster movie with a strong focus on money, Casino is a dark and fascinating film that deserves more recognition than it has received. It takes some of the same basic formulas as Goodfellas but expands its perspective to include all the men who controlled those gangsters, and how they eventually lost everything due to their own greed, lust, and hubris. This is a masterful and complex work that offers a surprisingly poignant message, even to those who don’t like gangster films.
Casino is a cynical interpretation of the American western, stripped of its romantic veneer to reveal the gaping maw of unchecked capitalism. It is also a religious parable, and in the end, its main characters are all left to choose between Heaven and Hell, between a life of luxury and one of abject misery.
As a film Casino is filled with compelling drama, from the tussle between Sam and Nicky to the way that Ginger can’t escape her old pimp Lester to the fact that “nobody ever does,” as Nicky himself claims. But it’s the way that Scorsese builds and develops his characters, particularly Robert De Niro’s, that really captures your attention.
Gambling helps socialize individuals, and casinos are the places where people from all walks of life come together to spend their hard-earned money. In a world that feels increasingly isolating, it is nice to see a place where individuals of all backgrounds can still gather and share an experience.
