A casino is a place where gambling activities take place. It may include gaming tables and slot machines, but it also has other luxuries to appeal to patrons such as fine dining, stage shows and dramatic scenery. While it is a place of entertainment, casinos are also businesses and thus require strict regulatory oversight from the government to ensure fair play and prevent criminal activity.
While some might argue that the story of Casino lacks the complexity and compelling character dynamics of Goodfellas, there is no denying that it does a great job at capturing the essence of Mob life in Las Vegas. The film lays bare the intricate web of corruption that was centered in Las Vegas with tendrils reaching into politicians, the Teamsters union and even the Midwest Mafia based out of Kansas City.
Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci all deliver outstanding performances. However, it is Stone that truly shines as Ginger McKenna. She is both a seductive and a shrewd hustler who is able to control men and keep them coming back for more. Her relationship with Sam is a complex one and her downfall at the hands of Nicky is one of the most well-built mob revenge plots I have ever seen.
Casino is a brilliant piece of work that is well worth the watch. While it might not have the pizzazz of Goodfellas, it does a very good job of showing how corrupt and ruthless the world of organized crime really is in a setting that is unlike any other.