Exceptionally cast, shot, and told.

Rating: Null/10 (24 March 2004)

Casino in no way should be compared to the film "Heat", as I've read in other reviews- with the exception that it uses two of the same well known actors. It's release date is irrelevant, however similar, since stories make up movies, not release dates.
With that said, Casino is a striking and glittering rise and fall epic depicting the mafias' crooked grip on an early Las Vegas. Based on a true story, it stars Robert Deniro as Sam "Ace" Rostien, a dead-on and almost obsessively methodical gambler used and highly appreciated by mob bosses to run an efficient money machine named The Tangiers Hotel and Casino- an establishment, like all others at that time, whose initial investments were OK'd by the mob. Joe Pesci stars as Nicki Santuro, who works under the same bosses to protect their golden child, while Sharon Stone plays Ginger, a high-end Casino hustler who sooner than later wins Ace's rare affection in one sparkling moment while in his Casino. James Woods reaches the pinnacle of genuine sleaziness as Lester Diamond, a childhood friend of Ginger's and bottom of the barrel moocher and hustler. The film, using voice over and gliding explanatory takes, encompasses a brutal and almost "behind the scenes" type story of what went on in the early years of sin city, before commercial giants put their foot down and legally out financed everyone else. Under the guidance of Martin Scorsese, rich characters are proudly lived out by Deniro, Stone, Pesci, and Woods even in his small role, who all fit their character to a T. Thanks to Robert Richardson as cinematographer (The Doors), Casino not only excels at being an exceptional tale of money and trust, but also arrests the viewers attention with whirring motion, glowing color, and beautifully composed framing and lighting. The ever popular Soprano's has nothing on this movie. Music, locations, and editing serve the story as well, making it one of Scorsese's most solid works to date.