In a world that feels increasingly disconnected, casinos are one of the few public spaces where people from different backgrounds can come together to mingle and share a common experience. Meeting new people at the casino can make for a fun, social experience and also allows you to create fond memories and build long-lasting friendships. Moreover, there are plenty of opportunities to win and celebrate with friends or family members at the casino.
While Casino is often categorised as a mob movie, it is actually closer to a western than any of Scorsese’s other films. It echoes the myth of how European settlers brought civilisation to the Wild West, but it also highlights the way that organised crime has expanded in a similar fashion. It lays bare the mobsters’ relationship to Las Vegas and shows how their avarice and ruthlessness can corrupt an entire town.
Unlike Goodfellas, which was anchored by the character of Henry Hill, Casino has no central protagonist. Instead, we follow Sam and Nicky around, but they are less proactive and harder to empathise with. As a result, the film is a bit more cynical than its predecessor. But the acting, notably that of Bobby De Niro and Sharon Stone, is superb, as is the editing by Thelma Schoonmaker. This makes Casino a powerful and thought-provoking piece of cinema.