A long, indecipherable journey inside Las Vegas.

Rating: Null/10 (12 January 2011)

In looking at Martin Scorsese's look at life in Las Vegas under control of the mob in the 1970s and 1980s, I became intensely curious as to what in particular Scorsese was trying to tell me. Was there any sort of outward message being presented in this sordid tale of greed, deception, backstabbing and violent behavior? And in the end, was this simply a spin off of Goodfellas? Many would disagree, claiming that Casino is an entirely different kind of Scorsese film, concerned more with the city of Vegas and its surroundings than anything else. Indeed, the first two hours fly by as Scorsese whisks us through the casino and its behind-the scenes facts. Long famous for the energy and spontaneity of his films, Scorsese's fluid camera snakes in and out of rooms, eavesdropping on the conversations of some of the highest and most powerful men in Las Vegas, some of which don't even live in Nevada. As in Goodfellas, there is innumerable amounts of information given. In fact, there are so many voice-over narrations going on one right after another, some may get dizzy trying to keep them all straight. All this, combined with fiercely intense performances from Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci make this a great two hour run. Unfortunately, this is a three-hour film.
The last hour of the film, for me, bears many marks of Scorsese's labor of love for these settings and subject, yet it feels to drag on and on and on. Never have I seen one hour go by so slowly that was directed by such a great filmmaker. Indeed, the main reason for such slow pacing is the fact that practically the same thing happens in every single scene. For the first two hours, Scorsese sets up nearly ever character for some sort of payoff or consequence. Now, the payoffs must come. They do, one right after the other and it is not only boring to watch but also painful. As with any Scorsese film, the bleakness and desperation of the situation is not shied away from. It is difficult to watch the relationship between De Niro and Stone crumble, in effect mirroring the mob's relationship with Las Vegas fall apart. Nevertheless, by the end, I was left feeling somewhat unsatisfied and cold with all these characters. Not a single one can truly be empathized with, and in the end all get what they deserve.
I know it is unfair to Scorsese to compare this film with Goodfellas, but there are so many parallels that it is hard not to. Where Goodfellas succeeded in having one main point of view narrate everything, here there are too many to consistently keep track of as well as too many scenes of people being beaten senseless and screaming at each other in drug-induced rages. I do not ask Scorsese to be gentler or sugarcoat his stories; I only ask that he create a solidly discernible plot flow throughout the film as he did in Goodfellas and The Age of Innocence. Regrettably, despite its many positive elements, Casino is not one of the great Scorsese's best.