Heard about it, but haven't seen it yet? Lose a man card.

Rating: 9/10 (1 February 2011)

The first half of the 1990s was a glorious, competitive time for mob films. Okay, so we started off with the disappointing (but far from terrible) The Godfather: Part 3, but later that year Martin Scorsese released GoodFellas, which many people consider to be the definitive gangster film. In that same year came Miller's Crossing, and Quentin Tarantino added to the palette with both Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. In 1995, Marty hit back with Casino, redefining the blockbuster genre in a way that wasn't emulated until some twelve years later, when Nolan got his hands on the Batman franchise.
Comprising of an all-star cast headed by the incomparable Robert De Niro, Casino tells the story of Sam 'Ace' Rothstein, America's finest bookmaker in the 1970s and 80s, whose knowledge of the industry lures him to Las Vegas. At the behest of the Mafia, he becomes the executive manager of the fictional Tangiers casino. Childhood friend Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) comes along for the ride, and all seems to run smoothly until a desire for women, wealth and the very essence of Vegas sends the gambling empire into a tailspin.
Expect nothing less than utter professionalism in the direction department. Scorsese gives the audience an excellent look into the luxury, excess and emotion that defined Las Vegas for so long. The visuals are striking, displaying the bright lights of the city in external scenes, and giving the film a glossy undertone during internal scenes; a highly unconventional technique, but one that reflects the tone perfectly.
As with most of Marty's masterpieces, Casino is unique in the way that it dosen't follow a structured plot. Rather, the film is, for lack of a better phrase, a whole bunch of 'things' that happen, and how they impact on (or are caused by) the main characters. In fact, a positive aspect of the movie that isn't recognised by most is just how much influence the characters have on the story.
The first half of the film is concerned with how Ace and Nicky run the casino: turning over profits, keeping customers happy and dealing with cheaters. The second half deals solely with each character's personal issues, and how they destroyed something so valuable from the inside out. We see how Ace's hustling wife Ginger (Sharon Stone, in a career-best performance) turns two former friends against each other, while slowly killing herself as well. There is no doubt that the events of the second half are on a smaller scale to those of the first, but so much more emphasis is placed on the former because of the magnetism and excellent performance of each actor.
Drama is on high supply for the film's entire three-hour run time, but allows for some well- written comedy to complement the pace. For all the excellent younger actors Scorsese has worked with in the past decade, none of them convey the effortless on-screen chemistry of De Niro and Pesci, whether they are joking with each other, or wishing death upon one another.
At its simplest, this can be called the ultimate guy's movie. It features shooting, swearing, suits, money, fast cars and even faster women. Delve a little deeper, and you'll appreciate the practically flawless acting, indulgent cinematography and a cautionary tale just as critical of greed and the flaws of human beings as Wall Street or Scarface. I take issue with this film's tagline: 'You don't stay at the top forever', because it will take one hell of an effort to knock Casino off this movie-lover's list of top 20 films.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review.*