#167 IMDb - Casino

So spending some time with Dad a few weeks ago we were deciding which film we wanted to see, Casino, Goodfellas or Carlito's Way (sensing a theme here?) and we eventually settled on watching Casino.

Classic mob/Scorsese film! I think Scorsese has really set the tone for mobster films and this was one of the big ones that came out. DeNiro, Pesci, and the excellent Sharon Stone. This tale, based on a true story, follows the lives of Nicky and Ace 2 boyhood pals making it big in 70s Las Vegas.

One thing about this film I truly liked is how much Scorsese used the voice-over. Ace narrating scenes with Nicky and vice versa really helps to draw how much they do play off each other. Nicky is helping out Ace and Ace is allowing Nicky to do so. Ace's character is the quintessential suave, powerful and masculine role with money to throw around and a beautiful albeit shallow wife to parade on his arm.

Nicky on the other hand is wildly sadistic and out to send a message to anyone that would dare oppose Ace or the mission for the bosses in the Midwest. There is probably one of the most cringe-worthy scenes involving a vice that really does show how absolutely mad Nicky is. And don't forget the baseball bat scene! Yeouch.

This film really is an absolutely epic film showing the amount of greed, lying, corruption and just overall madness that came from Vegas at that time. Beautifully filmed, great plot and story line and character development.