"GOODFELLAS" Part Deux

Rating: Null/10 (28 February 2003)

CASINO (1995) *** Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, Don Rickles, James Woods, Kevin Pollak, Frank Vincent, Alan King; as themselves: Jerry Vale, Steve Allen & Jayne Meadows, Frankie Avalon. "GoodFellas II" could've been the working title of this brassy and encompassing crime drama by screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi and director Martin Scorsese examining the underbelly of Las Vegas in mob-controlled era of the 1970s with De Niro as Ace Rosenthal the man running the show in glitzy corrupt casino Tangiers who eventually falls from grace to love interest Stone (nominated for Best Actress) and boyhood chum/psycho thug Pesci. Despite great opulent set decorations and production designs (check out those rainbow colored clothing) the film ultimately collapses around itself much like its characters: wanting too much of a good thing.