Slow at times, but definitely worth watching.

Rating: 7/10 (28 March 2005)

The opening narration of this epic tale pretty much sums it up. Ace Rothstein (based on real life casino owner Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal) was a very gifted individual and the way the inner workings of a casino is described is fascinating to watch. However, the more the story unfolds we are banged over the head with numerous names, situations and too much narration that really isn't necessary to follow the story.
There are other problems, especially regarding the Nicky Santoro character, played by Joe Pesci. There are conflicting information about him all through the movie. Was he a major figure in organized crime or was he simply a two-bit hood. It is never quite made clear but he must have had some connection since he gets in any casino before he is banned. The friendship between him and Ace is never really fully explored either. A background sequence could have saved the viewer a lot of confusion. As they are portrayed in this movie they don't even seem to be of the same species. The way Rothstein tries to cover up where he comes from is essential to the plot but that he behaves a lot more like a socialite than a gambler is too polished to be believable.
The Sharon Stone character Ginger is the most fully developed person in the movie. Her character is pretty much revealed in the first two minutes she's on screen and the way she transforms during the movie is also believable. Even though her pimp, Lester (played by James Woods) doesn't have a lot of screen time, we can guess what purpose he had in her life. Therefore, it must have been hard to cast the Ginger role as her's requires a great deal of acting skill.
Like so many actors Scorsese has worked with before, De Niro, Pesci and Frank Vincent does pretty much what we expect. They are all terrific but the real surprise is Alan King, who is a comedian. Even though his character is also a little sketchy, he brings the right kind of authority to his role. He is also the one character who gives the most information as to how things operate in Vegas.
The bosses of Las Vegas are mostly decorative. They are never fully explored and are therefore mostly played as fat men in suits. The only boss who seems to have any say in what goes on is the character, Remo Gaggi, and even he seems to be clueless most of the time.
There are a lot more to mention but the bottom line is that even though it is very clear that Scorsese has put a lot of effort into the accuracy of the action, it is a bit confusing and I think he should have left out a great deal of the narration that doesn't really explain a lot anyway. So an 'A' for the effort but only a 'B+' for the artistry which is what I think he is trying to aspire to.