However, The Hangover is a movie that combines stunning comedy and unforgettable casino scenes into one. In a way, the casino scene is reminiscent of the footage from 'Rain Man,' where the protagonist also uses a counting strategy to beat the casino.
- Another memorable scene from the film is Ken Jeong, aka Mr. Chow, jumping out of the car trunk naked in an empty dirt lot. Head to the corner of Mandalay Bay Rd. To find this location from the movie. Better yet, just recount the laughs from Mr. Chow's naked scene over dinner at MR CHOW.
- In The Handmaiden (2016). Park Chan-wook's 2016 erotic thriller saw its two leads take off their (absolutely gorgeous) clothes for a few explicit sex scenes. The critically adored film.
- Gambling Scene The Hangover; ( thanks to Greg, Delray Beach, FL) add more info Q: What gambling scene the hangover song is playing in the car during the desert scene before the three meet with online poker real money on iphone Mr. Laughlin Forum gambling scene the hangover The Hangover - Picture of Casino at the Venetian, Las Vegas Card Counting in the Movies - 'The Hangover' - Blackjack.
- The Hangover is one of the most popular comedy movies of the 2000s. The Hangover quotes below detail the incredible first adventure of Phil, Stu, and Alan. What's the most memorable scene in The Hangover? The Hangover stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis as three friends who attend another friend's bachelor party in Vegas.
Hollywood is great at using lies to tell the truth—or at least the truth asHollywood sees it. Pampers bonus codes. That movie you saw about New York City? It was probablyfilmed in Toronto. Those scenes from the Indiana Jones movie you thought werefilmed in Utah? They were shot in Colorado. That movie set in Colorado? Filmedin New Mexico.
Reality is what Hollywood says it is.
Still, even the clever folks in Hollywood are not up to the task of creatinga place like Las Vegas. So off to Vegas they go. Frequently, as it turns out. Infact, people might say they are in love.
It could be that the iconic structures and signs of Las Vegas are simply notfound anywhere else in the world. It could be that Las Vegas (and Clark County)is quite cooperative with Hollywood's needs.
But it just might be that gambling—and by extension, risk of any kind—is whatmakes a story a story. And where are you going to find another place onEarth where risk in all its non-lethal forms is so well-represented?
There are literally hundreds of films that are either focused onLas Vegas gamblingor feature Sin City as a silent but important part of the plot. They all draw asignificant portion of their charm and/or message from the Vegas environmentitself.
Here are a few of the best movies featuring Las Vegas locations.
If you've read any of my other articles here on GamblingSites.com, you'reaware that my approach tends to be rather light-hearted and occasionally snarky,so you might question why I'm beginning this list with the most depressingexample of Hollywood Meets Las Vegas imaginable. Well, first of all, it's animportant film of the Las Vegas subgenre, and also, because I always eat myvegetables before moving on to the stuff on my plate I like.
Nicolas Cage is no stranger to weird; in fact, he's probably done more weirdroles than any other actor—and yes, I'm well aware that Johnny Depp exists,thank you very much. In Leaving Las Vegas, he plays a suicidalalcoholic who moves to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. Yeah, it'll neverreplace It's a Wonderful Life on anyone's Christmas viewing list.
Cage co-stars with Elisabeth Shue, who plays a hooker Cage hires simply totalk to. During the conversation, Shue becomes enamored with Cage, of course,and Cage invites her to move in with him. I'd like to say that lots of hilarioushijinks follow that set-up, but they don't, and while I'm not going to give awaythe ending, let's suffice it to say—well, I'm not going to even hint at it.Watch it yourself whenever you're feeling overly happy.
Incidentally, Cage—who received both a Golden Globe award and an Oscar forthe role—reportedly researched his character by binge drinking in Dublin for acouple of weeks. He also talked with a number of 'career alcoholics' in LosAngeles hospitals. He later told reporters that 'it was one of the mostenjoyable pieces of research I've ever had to do for a part.' That probablyexplains a lot about Cage—and maybe even provides an explanation for some of theroles he's picked.
The Hangover (2009)
About as far as you can get from Leaving Las Vegas (and you'rewelcome, by the way), The Hangover features Las Vegas and what it doesto people who aren't feeling suicidal but still want a little excitement. Agroup of four friends—and an unwelcome fifth wheel played to perfection by ZachGalifianakis—go to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. The entire storyline is atextbook illustration for Las Vegas' new 'What Happens Here Only Happens Here'motto.
Where else could you logically wake up in your Caesars Palace hotel suitewith a Bengal tiger you don't remember stealing from Mike Tyson? And DIY toothremoval? And a baby? Although none of those things has happened to me, I think Ispeak for all of us when I say, 'Yeah, that could totally happen in Vegas.'
The movie is well-cast, with Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakisas the friends of the groom, and Ken Jeong as a loveable drug lord (you gottawatch it to understand how that could be possible). The movie was such a successthey made two sequels, all with the same cast. Incidentally, the first sequelwas centered in Bangkok, Thailand—arguably the only other place in the worldwhere bizarre happenings might seem logical and even mundane, while the secondsequel returns to Las Vegas for at least part of the hijinks.
The fountainhead for 'gonzo journalism,' Hunter S. Thompson was a writerwhose mind was almost certainly tuned to the Las Vegas channel at all times.This 1998 film stars Johnny Depp as 'Raoul Duke' (a fictional stand-in forThompson himself) and Benicio del Toro as 'Dr. Gonzo' (a stand-in for Thompson'sreal-life attorney pal Oscar Zeta Acosta).
The film mainly succeeds in capturing the frantic pacing of drug-addledmisadventures as described in Thompson's 1971 book Fear and Loathing in LasVegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream.
Perhaps it takes gonzo journalism to truly describe or otherwise convey thefact that the real and the surreal are often indistinguishable in Las Vegas—atleast without descending into sit-com silliness. From start to finish, Depp anddel Toro capture unabashed acid-trip insanity perfectly, from hallucinatinglizard's heads on patrons of a Vegas bar to the moray eel handling check-in atthe hotel.
In retrospect, the movie has quite a bit in common with The Hangoverin terms of the variety and extent of inexplicable events and partial memories.Toward the end, 'Raoul Duke' is attempting to make sense of why he remembersflashes of attempting to convince a hotel cleaning woman that he and Dr. Gonzoare police officers, and of attempting to purchase an orangutan.
Rain Man (1988)
Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman star as themselves—okay, I kid. Cruise actuallyplays LA luxury car salesman Charlie Babbitt (Sinclair Lewis fans, take note),who learns that his estranged father has passed away—and has willed his fortuneto his other son, Raymond, an autistic-savant played by Hoffman, of whom Babbittwas completely unaware.
Babbitt kidnaps Raymond from a mental institution, and, after a failedattempt at ransoming Raymond back for half his father's estate, Babbitt decidesto take Raymond to Los Angeles to try to gain legal custody of him. SinceRaymond refuses to fly, an impromptu road trip is in order, during which Babbittdiscovers the savant side of his brother when a dispenser of toothpicks at adiner is spilled and with a glance Raymond accurately notes the exact number oftoothpicks on the floor. How do we know this? Because a waitress dutifullycounts them all. So already we're in magical realism mode.
Did I mention Las Vegas is part of the road trip? I probably should havementioned that. Vegas is often portrayed as a muse or a backdrop for mayhemand/or hijinks that couldn't happen anywhere else. In the case of Rain Man,Las Vegas assumes its Fairy Godmother avatar, with Babbitt quickly discoveringthat his brother can, yes, count cards with the identical speed and accuracy hecounted those toothpicks.
While Las Vegas figures heavily in plot points, it is less important to thismovie than, say, The Hangover, but it does provide the opportunity forCruise to begin his growth as a human being. Hoffman, of course, remains thesame throughout the movie—an autistic savant who just happens to also be anexcellent driver.
Want a movie that subtly highlights the battle differences between 'old' LasVegas and 'new' Las Vegas? Try The Cooler. The title character, playedby William H. Macy (Fargo) is a Sad Sack, broken of his own gamblinghabit by a casino boss through the expedient of breaking one of his knees.
Still in debt to the casino boss played by Alec Baldwin (every movie you'veever seen that required a supremely arrogant bad guy), Macy is employed at thecasino to serve as a 'cooler.' See, Macy is so unlucky he radiates it out atanyone nearby. There's a long sequence early in the movie where he walks throughthe casino, a sad ghost of a smile on his face, leaving a trail of suddenlyunlucky people in his wake.
The movie joins Macy's life just prior to him paying off his gambling debt toBaldwin. Macy mentions that once his debt is cleared, he's leaving Las Vegas(but not, oddly enough, in a Nicolas cage sort of way). If anyone believes inthe power of 'cooling,' it's Baldwin, so he has one of his cocktailwaitresses—played by Maria Bello (Payback)—to romance Macy a bit tokeep him in town, on the payroll, and chilling high rollers.
The complications begin when it turns out that finding love has turned Macy'sluck from bad to good. The film poses no questions and delivers no answers, butit does manage to combine the gritty reality of a Las Vegas full of too-darkcasino floors with a magical realism only Hollywood can convince people exists.If there's any lesson to be learned from The Cooler, it's this: Theaccountants moving in to replace the mob underbosses are not the good guys,they're just the new guys.
Whether you're nostalgic for the Vegas of Casino or are perfectlysatisfied with Vegas du Soleil, The Cooler will get you thinking aboutsuperstition, luck, and fate—all of which are Sin City's stock in trade.
What Happens in Vegas (2008)
This is the frothiest of the films listed here, and I include it simplybecause it does a very good job with the whole 'married by accident' tropetelevision and Hollywood are powerless to resist. What Happens in Vegasstarts out with a computer glitch that puts Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz inthe same hotel room in Vegas. The error is ironed out quickly enough, and thepair decides to have a few drinks.
This is Vegas, so you know the two will be married when they wake up the nextmorning. Sure enough, that's exactly what happens. They immediately agree to geta divorce, but while that is still in the planning and threatening stage,Kutcher puts a quarter he got from Diaz into a slot machine and wins athree-million-dollar jackpot.
Suddenly, Diaz is not in such a hurry to be shut of Kutcher. Oh, she stillcan't stand him, but three million dollars makes for a lot of extenuation.
The script is clever, the jokes are good—but the real delight of this movieis the interplay between the two friends of Kutcher and Diaz. The two (played byRob Corddry and Lake Bell) mirror the animosity between Kutcher and Diaz. Idon't want to spoil any of their bits, but 'junk-punch' figures into prominentlyinto the mix.
This movie is not based entirely in Las Vegas—which actually affords the filmthe opportunity to contrast the ridiculosity of what might happen in Vegas withthe real world (well, it's as real a world as Hollywood can imagine, anyway).This is a romcom, after all.
Ah. Here's the Nicolas Cage we all know and love. Bizarrely romcom-yas only a Nicolas Cage movie can be, Honeymoon in Vegas answers themusical question 'What happens when you hurl a dozen Elvis impersonators out ofa plane?' You'll have to watch the movie to learn the answer.
Hangover Gambling Scene
The movie pretty much moves Indecent Proposal to Las Vegas and castsJames Caan in the role of Mister Richy-Rich who will spare no expense to haveSarah Jessica Parker to himself. At this point in the movie, your willfulsuspension of disbelief might be stretched to the breaking point—or maybe that'sjust me. But the heart wants what the heart wants, I guess, so let's all pretendParker is hot for the next 90 minutes.
In the movie, Nicolas Cage has recently proposed to Ms. Parker (okay, noweven people who believe in astrology are questioning the premise, amiright? Bethat as it may, Honeymoon in Vegas is the complete antithesis of Leaving Las Vegas, and frankly, that's a good thing. I'd recommend watchingthe two movies as a double feature, but I don't enjoy being beaten up.
The Hollywood-Vegas Love Affair Has Been Rocky
While Sin City is the movie industry's go-to location when it needs a weightymetaphor or simply when it needs a cheesy backdrop, it has also suffered seriousdamage during its long affair with the film industry. The Amazing ColossalMan wreaked all sorts of havoc on downtown Las Vegas in 1957. Even otherplanets don't like Vegas for some reason: Las Vegas was again destroyed in Mars Attacks! (1996)—a film the only redeeming quality of which was that itgave Sarah Jessica Parker her just desserts.
And forty years after Amazing Colossal Man (not his real name, bythe way) smacked Fremont Street around, Con Air (1997) ran a crashingplane down the Strip, even clipping the neck of the neon guitar in front of theHard Rock for good measure.
Wait a minute—Wasn't Nicolas Cage in Con Air? Man, if I wasn'trunning against a deadline here, I'd be tempted to change this article to astem-winder entitled 'Why Does Nicolas Cage Hate Las Vegas?'
Are you are planning a movie night with your friends who fancy a gambling thriller? Perhaps you are getting ready for a weekend full of fun and gambling in Vegas.
Either case, watching a gambling film is a great way to learn a bit about your favorite casino game, whether it's craps, baccarat, roulette or poker. Thankfully, you don't have to look far and hard to zero in on the best gambling flicks.
To help you make the right choice, here are 15 crème de la crème of gambling films. So, bring out the popcorn, round up your friends, and let the show begin!
(1) 21 (Robert Luketic, 2008)
It can be a little tough to find a true story gambling movie that's jam-packed with suspense, thrill, and humor. Robert Luketic classic film 21 provides you with all these and then some. It's serious yet comical, which is why IMDB's score of 6.8/10 doesn't do it justice.
How the movie unfolds can make you forget that it's based on a true story of 6 MIT students who were taught by their unorthodox math professor Micky Rosa (played by Kevin Spacey) how to count cards. After several weekend trips to Las Vegas, they eventually took The Strip casinos for millions of dollars in blackjack winnings.
Perhaps the most heartwarming story is that of Ben Campbell (played by Jim Sturgess), a gifted student and an aspiring medical doctor. With no way of getting $300k to attend Harvard Medical School, Ben decides to join the card-counting team. Unfortunately, power and greed get the best of the students, putting their plan in jeopardy.
Watch 21 (Robert Luketic, 2008) on Amazon here.
Buy 21 (Robert Luketic, 2008) on Amazon here.
(2) High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (A. W. Vidmer, 2003)
If you keep a tab on what's happening in the world of poker, then Stu Ungar needs no introduction. He's well-known poker guru famed for becoming the first-ever player to scoop 3 WSOP Main Event tournaments in the history of World Series of Poker. Unfortunately, he lost the vast majority of his poker winnings on horse racing.
High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story is an indie biographical film about the fascinating life of the high roller Stu Ungar, who is played by Michael Imperioli. Vidmer's docudrama features every aspect of the player's life, from when he had everything and hedonistic highs to when his life caved in. The film spares nothing, capturing Stu's dramatic rise to the zenith of poker gambling, and then his equally meteoric downfall.
Watch High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (A. W. Vidmer, 2003) on Amazon here.
Buy High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (A. W. Vidmer, 2003) on Amazon here.
(3) The Cincinnati Kid (Normal Jewison, 1965)
If you are looking for a classic gambling film, look no further than The Cincinnati Kid. The movie walks us through the exploits of the Kid (played by Steve McQueen) as he tries to cut a niche for himself in the gambling during the Great Depression. To do this, the Kid must outdo Lancey, considered one of the best poker players in the era.
The Cincinnati Kid has everything you can wish for in a dramatic classic poker film – the underhand moves, the betrayal, women, guns, actions … the whole shebang to keep your adrenaline pumping. It is a fast-paced thriller that unravels the world of gambling piece by piece.
If you are looking for inspiration and something to get your confidence going before a serious poker game, this film is what the physician prescribed. No wonder it scored a staggering 7.3/10 at IMDb.
Watch The Cincinnati Kid (Normal Jewison, 1965) on Amazon here.
Buy The Cincinnati Kid (Normal Jewison, 1965) on Amazon here.
(4) Rounders (John Darl, 1998)
It's a little difficult to find a gambling movie that offers plenty of humor and inspiring drama. Rounders gives you a slice of everything, with a drama-filled script, great rating (7.3 stars), and a star-studded cast (with the ranks of Matt Damon as the main star, as well as Edward Norton and John Malkovich). What more could you ask for?
Rounders follows the story of Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) who must beat Teddy 'KGB', a Russian gambling baron in a high stakes poker. At home, McDermott is being pressured by his girlfriend Jo to call it quits from gambling. However, he must pay his college fees with poker winning.
The push-and-pull between the couple continues until Lester (a friend of McDermott's) comes out of the slammer and is required to pay off an old debt owed to the KGB. The showdown unfolds right before your eyes, with lots of table banter and poker bluffing strategies.
Watch Rounders (John Darl, 1998) on Amazon here.
Buy Rounders (John Darl, 1998) on Amazon here.
(5) The Hangover (Todd Phillips, 2009)
The Hangover is a fun (and somewhat literal) play on the gamblers' saying: ' Whatever happens in Las Vegas stays in Vegas.' The movie itself isn't centered around gambling, but there are several gambling scenes dotted throughout the flick. With famous names starring in the film, The Hangover isn't too shabby.
It follows a mishap-filled story of Doug (played by Justin Bartha) and his 3 friends – Alan (Ed Helms), Stu (Zach Galifianakis), and Phil (Bradley Cooper). The odd crew decides, 2 days before Doug's wedding, to make a trip to Las Vegas for a bachelor party.
The next morning, however, the trio wakes up and draws a blank on whatever happened last night. Funny enough, they'd also lost and can't seem to locate the whereabouts of the groom. Now, now. The three groomsmen have to put their thoughts together and try to find their friend just hours before the wedding.
The first Hangover movie was a huge hit, so much so that Warner Bros. released Hangover II in 2011 and Hangover III in 2013. Every film in this sequel is not only hilarious but gives an exaggerated look of Las Vegas and its imposing casinos. Can we hold out hopes for the release of Hangover IV?
Watch The Hangover on Amazon here.
Buy The Hangover on Amazon here.
(6) Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)
Perhaps one of the most notable gambling films ever, Casino Royale follows the exploits of James Bond (aka 007, played by Daniel Craig) as he tries to defeat Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a well-known financier of terrorist organizations.
After getting word that Le Chiffre wants to use high stakes poker to raise money for terrorist activities, MI6 enlists the help of Mr. Bond to try to beat him at the poker table. Not only does Bond show off amazing bluffing strategies but it also manages to break down Le Chiffre organization.
Casino Royale remains one of the most loved and watched movies in the Bond franchise. Earning an outstanding 8 stars at IMDb, the film scores points on every front, from the cool gambling moves to action-packed scenes.
Watch Casino Royale on Amazon here.
Buy Casino Royale on Amazon here.
(7) Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995)
It's all in the name. This is an early epic drama by famous film director Martin Scorsese. Based on Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, wonderful nonfiction by Nicholas Pileggi, this movie is star-studded. Some of the big names included Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone and the one and only Robert de Niro.
The movie depicts the two faces of gambling in Las Vegas: the cruel and brutal dealings happening behind the scenes, juxtaposed with the glitz, ritz, and glamour that often shown by mainstream media.
Ace (de Niro) is a Vegas casino operator with mob connection but he lives a seemingly normal and civilized life with his family. However, when Santoro (Pesci) lands in town, Aces life turns upside down. Interestingly, Santoro is his childhood friend and now a well-known mafia lynch-baron.
If you are looking for a casino movie jam-packed with murder, power, money, deception, and greed, Casino will simply knock your socks off.
Watch Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995) on Amazon here.
Buy Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995) on Amazon here.
(8) Honeymoon in Vegas (Andrew Bergman, 1992)
Hangover Gambling Scene
Vegas is probably not the right place to go for your honeymoon, a subtle fact Jack Singer (played by Nicolas Cage) learns the hard way. After burning through his life-savings of $65,000 at the poker table, Jack who's about to get married to Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) is forced to lend his fiancée to the winning opponent and con artist, Tommy Korman (James Caan).
Betsy, who resembles Korman's late wife, starts to develop feelings for the con man. It's now upon Jack to quickly track the 'couple' down to Hawaii before it is too late. Who will get hitched to Betsy?
Watch Honeymoon in Vegas on Amazon here.
Buy Honeymoon in Vegas on Amazon here.
(9) Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Guy Ritchie, 1998)
Nothing brings together crime, mystery and comic relief quite like a good gambling film, and Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels is a classic example. With 8.2 stars at IMDb, it's one of the highest-rated gambling-related movies, and it definitely lives up to the hype.
The premise of the film revolves around 4 English friends who decide to pool money to beat a gangster named Hatchet Harry in 3-card brag (UK's version of poker). Unfortunately, Eddy (the leader of the group) loses everything to Harry, who by the way cheated.
After losing the botched poker game, the quartet must raise £500,000 to pay off Harry's gambling debt or Eddy will lose his dad's pub. You have to see this thriller for yourself to discover the violence, heists and clowning these guys must go through to evade Harry's wrath.
Probably the biggest lesson is that you should never gamble more than you can afford, plus be careful when picking your poker allies.
Watch Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on Amazon here.
Buy Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on Amazon here.
(10) Ocean's Eleven (Steven Soderbergh, 2001)
If you love casino heist films, the chances are very good that you have watched Steven Soderbergh's crown jewel Ocean's Eleven.
As you might expect, there's a ringleader, Danny Ocean (played by George Clooney), and a team of high risk-takers who want to execute one of the most elaborate casino heists in history.
The Ocean's 11 targets three of Vegas largest casinos – the MGM Grand, the Mirage and Bellagio. In this film, the three casinos are owned and operated by scum-bag tycoon Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia).
Even though Ocean and the team have laid out a highly detailed and elaborate plan, the heist faces plenty of turns and twists en route. Will the Ocean's 11 make away with millions of dollars from the tycoon's coffers? If you have 1hr 57min to spare, this is a casino heist movie that'll keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Watch Ocean's Eleven on Amazon here.
Buy Ocean's Eleven on Amazon here.
(11) Croupier (Mike Hodges, 1998)
Played by a youthful Clive Owen, Jack Manfred is a writer struggling to make ends meet. His financial misfortune forces him to become a croupier (dealer) at a London high-street casino. Soon, he starts making underhand gambling dealings with a player, and from then on his life becomes one rollercoaster ride.
The movie Croupier takes a rather different take on conventional gambling films, showing another side of the industry. It's one filled with tears and joy, brokenness and affluence, and much more.
Watch Croupier on Amazon here.
Buy Croupier on Amazon here.
(12) Owning Mahowny (Richard Kwietniowski, 2003)
Buy The Cincinnati Kid (Normal Jewison, 1965) on Amazon here.
(4) Rounders (John Darl, 1998)
It's a little difficult to find a gambling movie that offers plenty of humor and inspiring drama. Rounders gives you a slice of everything, with a drama-filled script, great rating (7.3 stars), and a star-studded cast (with the ranks of Matt Damon as the main star, as well as Edward Norton and John Malkovich). What more could you ask for?
Rounders follows the story of Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) who must beat Teddy 'KGB', a Russian gambling baron in a high stakes poker. At home, McDermott is being pressured by his girlfriend Jo to call it quits from gambling. However, he must pay his college fees with poker winning.
The push-and-pull between the couple continues until Lester (a friend of McDermott's) comes out of the slammer and is required to pay off an old debt owed to the KGB. The showdown unfolds right before your eyes, with lots of table banter and poker bluffing strategies.
Watch Rounders (John Darl, 1998) on Amazon here.
Buy Rounders (John Darl, 1998) on Amazon here.
(5) The Hangover (Todd Phillips, 2009)
The Hangover is a fun (and somewhat literal) play on the gamblers' saying: ' Whatever happens in Las Vegas stays in Vegas.' The movie itself isn't centered around gambling, but there are several gambling scenes dotted throughout the flick. With famous names starring in the film, The Hangover isn't too shabby.
It follows a mishap-filled story of Doug (played by Justin Bartha) and his 3 friends – Alan (Ed Helms), Stu (Zach Galifianakis), and Phil (Bradley Cooper). The odd crew decides, 2 days before Doug's wedding, to make a trip to Las Vegas for a bachelor party.
The next morning, however, the trio wakes up and draws a blank on whatever happened last night. Funny enough, they'd also lost and can't seem to locate the whereabouts of the groom. Now, now. The three groomsmen have to put their thoughts together and try to find their friend just hours before the wedding.
The first Hangover movie was a huge hit, so much so that Warner Bros. released Hangover II in 2011 and Hangover III in 2013. Every film in this sequel is not only hilarious but gives an exaggerated look of Las Vegas and its imposing casinos. Can we hold out hopes for the release of Hangover IV?
Watch The Hangover on Amazon here.
Buy The Hangover on Amazon here.
(6) Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)
Perhaps one of the most notable gambling films ever, Casino Royale follows the exploits of James Bond (aka 007, played by Daniel Craig) as he tries to defeat Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a well-known financier of terrorist organizations.
After getting word that Le Chiffre wants to use high stakes poker to raise money for terrorist activities, MI6 enlists the help of Mr. Bond to try to beat him at the poker table. Not only does Bond show off amazing bluffing strategies but it also manages to break down Le Chiffre organization.
Casino Royale remains one of the most loved and watched movies in the Bond franchise. Earning an outstanding 8 stars at IMDb, the film scores points on every front, from the cool gambling moves to action-packed scenes.
Watch Casino Royale on Amazon here.
Buy Casino Royale on Amazon here.
(7) Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995)
It's all in the name. This is an early epic drama by famous film director Martin Scorsese. Based on Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, wonderful nonfiction by Nicholas Pileggi, this movie is star-studded. Some of the big names included Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone and the one and only Robert de Niro.
The movie depicts the two faces of gambling in Las Vegas: the cruel and brutal dealings happening behind the scenes, juxtaposed with the glitz, ritz, and glamour that often shown by mainstream media.
Ace (de Niro) is a Vegas casino operator with mob connection but he lives a seemingly normal and civilized life with his family. However, when Santoro (Pesci) lands in town, Aces life turns upside down. Interestingly, Santoro is his childhood friend and now a well-known mafia lynch-baron.
If you are looking for a casino movie jam-packed with murder, power, money, deception, and greed, Casino will simply knock your socks off.
Watch Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995) on Amazon here.
Buy Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995) on Amazon here.
(8) Honeymoon in Vegas (Andrew Bergman, 1992)
Hangover Gambling Scene
Vegas is probably not the right place to go for your honeymoon, a subtle fact Jack Singer (played by Nicolas Cage) learns the hard way. After burning through his life-savings of $65,000 at the poker table, Jack who's about to get married to Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) is forced to lend his fiancée to the winning opponent and con artist, Tommy Korman (James Caan).
Betsy, who resembles Korman's late wife, starts to develop feelings for the con man. It's now upon Jack to quickly track the 'couple' down to Hawaii before it is too late. Who will get hitched to Betsy?
Watch Honeymoon in Vegas on Amazon here.
Buy Honeymoon in Vegas on Amazon here.
(9) Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Guy Ritchie, 1998)
Nothing brings together crime, mystery and comic relief quite like a good gambling film, and Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels is a classic example. With 8.2 stars at IMDb, it's one of the highest-rated gambling-related movies, and it definitely lives up to the hype.
The premise of the film revolves around 4 English friends who decide to pool money to beat a gangster named Hatchet Harry in 3-card brag (UK's version of poker). Unfortunately, Eddy (the leader of the group) loses everything to Harry, who by the way cheated.
After losing the botched poker game, the quartet must raise £500,000 to pay off Harry's gambling debt or Eddy will lose his dad's pub. You have to see this thriller for yourself to discover the violence, heists and clowning these guys must go through to evade Harry's wrath.
Probably the biggest lesson is that you should never gamble more than you can afford, plus be careful when picking your poker allies.
Watch Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on Amazon here.
Buy Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on Amazon here.
(10) Ocean's Eleven (Steven Soderbergh, 2001)
If you love casino heist films, the chances are very good that you have watched Steven Soderbergh's crown jewel Ocean's Eleven.
As you might expect, there's a ringleader, Danny Ocean (played by George Clooney), and a team of high risk-takers who want to execute one of the most elaborate casino heists in history.
The Ocean's 11 targets three of Vegas largest casinos – the MGM Grand, the Mirage and Bellagio. In this film, the three casinos are owned and operated by scum-bag tycoon Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia).
Even though Ocean and the team have laid out a highly detailed and elaborate plan, the heist faces plenty of turns and twists en route. Will the Ocean's 11 make away with millions of dollars from the tycoon's coffers? If you have 1hr 57min to spare, this is a casino heist movie that'll keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Watch Ocean's Eleven on Amazon here.
Buy Ocean's Eleven on Amazon here.
(11) Croupier (Mike Hodges, 1998)
Played by a youthful Clive Owen, Jack Manfred is a writer struggling to make ends meet. His financial misfortune forces him to become a croupier (dealer) at a London high-street casino. Soon, he starts making underhand gambling dealings with a player, and from then on his life becomes one rollercoaster ride.
The movie Croupier takes a rather different take on conventional gambling films, showing another side of the industry. It's one filled with tears and joy, brokenness and affluence, and much more.
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(12) Owning Mahowny (Richard Kwietniowski, 2003)
The stark reality is that many problem gamblers go the extra mile to satisfy their addiction. No other gambling film captured this quite like Richard Kwietniowski's Owning Mahowny.
Based on a true story of one of the biggest one-man bank frauds in Canadian history, this film follows the ups and downs of Dan Mahowny, Toronto bank worker. This is a story that almost writes itself.
Mahony is a banker with a gambling addiction problem. To make matters worse, he has unfettered access to accounts with millions of dollars in them. You can guess the rest.
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Hangover Casino Scene
(13) The Gambler (Karel Reisz, 1974)
Here's another gambling movie classic.
It revolves around the gambling troubles of Axel Freed (James Caan), an English professor in New York. He has a gambling problem. After running through his savings, he goes on to borrow money from his girlfriend. Before the dust settles, he borrows $44k to settle his lost basketball wager. It was just a matter of time before crooks and loan sharks were after him. Will he stop gambling?
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(14) The Good Thief (Neil Jordan, 2002)
Although not action-packed, The Good Thief is a quintessential gambling film with a small twist. Bob (Nick Nolte) is a gambler whose time is not on his side. After enduring a long losing streak, Bob tries to steal from a Monte Carlo casino, but an informer has already tipped off the police. Can Bob succeed in robbing the casino?
Watch The Good Thief on Amazon here.
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(15) Casino Jack (George Hickenlooper, 2010)
This is one of the most underrated Kevin Spacey's casino films. In it, Spacey plays the role of Jack Abramoff, a powerful Washington DC lobbyist. Alongside his protege Michael Scanlon, Abramoff fails terribly after his attempt to influence turns into murder and corruption.
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casino moviesgambling moviesMust-Watch Gambling Movies