Top 3 Famous Casino Movie Scenes

When the movie 21 first hit the scene in 2008, people could hardly hold back their joy. Here was a movie that depicted what gamblers had always hoped to do – bringing down the house. It followed a team of players who played blackjack in several casinos and won, relying on covert signaling and card counting methods. And in a matter of weeks, they were all leading luxurious lives, fueled by their constant winning streaks.

Of course, this blackjack movie also had a realistic plot that detailed the need to be aware of one’s emotions and surroundings. When Ben walked into a blackjack game distracted by the goings-on in his life, he lost a cool $200,000, which angered his teammates. But you can imagine that people skimmed over this scene and instead focused on the money, eager to play blackjack on sites such as those on this website – who can blame them? The movie was well executed and ranked first in the USA and Canada in its first two weeks of release.

Besides 21, several other movies have enabled players to live vicariously through the characters depicted in the scenes. And the scenes below have been the most talked about in the history of casino scenes:

Best Casino Scenes

While there have been several movies directed in the line of casinos, these are the ones that often come up regarding such discussions:

Ocean’s Eleven

This movie was the first release in the Ocean’s trilogy, including Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen. If you are yet to watch any of these, it’s best to start with the first movie so you can watch as the characters develop. It also makes it easier to follow the storyline. And once you’ve finished the three, don’t forget to catch up on Ocean’s Eight, which features an all-female heist team led by Sandra Bullock.

Okay, enough about the sequence. So, what makes Ocean’s Eleven such a good movie? All its scenes blend into each other. The first captivating scene starts when Rusty and Danny Ocean start debating if they should pull off a heist that will land them a cool $160 million. At this point, Rusty is on the fence about the whole thing, but Danny soon quells his fears by letting him know that even if they were to play fair, the house would always win. Besides, he also reminds him that they are both living pretty mediocre lives, and this heist would change all that – rather motivating even to the audience.

As the scenes develop, more information comes to light, including Danny’s discontent with Terry Benedict, a casino owner who is now dating Danny’s wife. And while the team tries to keep its cool, it cannot ignore that the original plan is heavily flawed and that everyone needs to pull their weight for the plan to succeed. Eventually, the team meets at the fountain (minus Danny), marveling at what they have done, somewhat dumbfounded that they could ever pull such a thing off. And without a word, they walk away from each other – probably too surprised and happy to utter anything that would ruin such an exceptional moment.

The Hangover

Few movies can live up to the hype of this movie. And while many people associate it with a foggy day-after, its casino scene is one for the books. It all starts when the three friends (Alan, Stu, and Phil) have to foil a plan to save their friend Doug who is currently a hostage. And what better way to do it than by playing blackjack? So, they head to the blackjack table, where Alan manages to beat the dealer enough to raise money to go free Doug. Somewhere in there is a lesson about knowing when to walk away, which many players may not quite understand.

Casino Royale

James Bond is such an iconic franchise. And it makes sense as the scenes in these movies always manage to get people to pay attention to what’s on the screen. Take the example of when James Bond gets poisoned by drink when he is playing a poker game. He must leave the table and find a way to stay alive. And instead of leaving the game (which many people would), he goes back to the game and manages to score a win of $120 million!

Why Are Casino Scenes Such a Hit?

If you enjoy watching movies with casino scenes, you may have noticed that they have been on the rise in the past decade. So, what about these scenes makes them so alluring to directors and fans alike?

• They allow fans to live vicariously through the characters in the movie. Think about it like this. If someone asked you to risk your life savings on a game of poker, would you do it? Would you go all in, abandoning all reason and every responsibility? Not many people would entertain such a move. But in movies, characters do this, thus living out people’s wildest desires. And because the fans don’t take the risk themselves, they enjoy an adrenaline kick without holding themselves to the fire.
• They are educative: While these movie scenes often have people on the edges of their seats, unsure what shoe will drop next, they also feature lessons. For example, some scenes have the characters gambling away their lives and cutting ties with the people close to them. And someone falling into the same pitfall can look at such a scene and realize where they have gone wrong. So, while the idea that comes to mind regarding casino scenes is glamor and fun, there is much more than meets the eye.

Let’s not forget the aspect of escapism. By watching other people act out your wildest dreams, you can escape your reality for a while. And for that hour, you can assume you are a risk-taking wild character willing to put it all on the line. Ah, the bliss of imagination!