Movies love to keep us on the edge of our seats, to excite and surprise us, which explains why so many movies feature gambling. Nothing builds suspense and tension quite like a high stakes’ winner takes all game of blackjack.
From smoke filled card dens, to the bright lights of a super-sized casino, movies have used the thrill of gambling time and again. Gambling was historically seen as a taboo activity, however in recent years the attitude towards gambling and casino games has changed, as well as many countries relaxing their gambling laws.
The change of attitude has not only seen an increase in more gambling scenes in films but also the amount of casino players. Online in particular has also contributed to the growth of casino players with more people now having the ability to quickly access casino games from handheld devices.
Despite the huge variety of games on offer through online casinos, blackjack still remains one of the most popular. It’s one of the few games of chance where strategic thinking and attention to detail are more important than plain old luck. Nowadays, providers offer players the opportunity to play free blackjack so they can have a feel for the game before playing, all adding to the excitement.
Here’s our round up of the best Blackjack movies of all time:
Rain Man – (1988)
Directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, Rain Man is a classic movie. Four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Hoffman), Best Director and Screenplay, are testament to that.
Charlie Babbit (Cruise), a selfish Los Angeles car dealer, learns his estranged father has left a fortune to an autistic savant brother (Hoffman) that he never knew existed. Absconding with his brother, Babbit goes on a card-counting blackjack tour of Las Vegas.
Thanks to Ray Babbit’s autism, he’s able to card count, memorise numbers and work out complex calculations. Ray sees a chance to use that talent to win big at the casino.
Arguably the most famous Blackjack scene in a movie is in this film, it’s certainly the most memorable. The tension steadily rises as the security staff desperately try to work out how the brothers are winning, and the stakes increase.
Shot at the legendary Caesars Palace Casino in Vegas, it was the first-time filming had ever happened in a real casino. Audiences got to see the glamour and excitement that a casino brings and understand the excitement involved.
Many gambling films are set in the gambling capital – Las Vegas.
21 – (2008)
This movie is all the more deserving of its place on the list because it’s based on a true story. In the 1990’s a group of students called the MIT Blackjack team, were taught how to count cards by their professor.
A new company, Strategic Investments, was formed as investors contributed $1 million to train students up on the skills required to beat the house. They were then sent out in teams to casinos and regularly came back victorious.
Eventually, due to the mounting pressure from casinos and law enforcement, Strategic Investments was dissolved. The real-life team was rumoured to have around involved around 80 members, and many of them remain unknown to this day.
Directed by Robert Luketic, “21” stars Kevin Spacey as the professor, and offers a thrilling peek inside the world of professional card counting. Spacey takes on six students (Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo) and shows them the skills required to win at Blackjack.
The gang then head to Las Vegas to try and win as much money as they can from the casinos. Inevitably not everything goes to plan, in what is a thrilling, Blackjack heist movie, committed in plain sight.
Licence to Kill – (1989)
The old Bond films are synonymous with lots of things and casinos are definitely one of them. A tuxedo and a game of roulette or baccarat was a staple scene for years and informed many people’s perceptions of life inside a casino.
Often overlooked as a Bond film, “Licence to Kill” initially suffered from its attempted shift away from the more light-hearted 007 films. But this 1989 movie, Directed by John Glen and starring Timothy Dalton, Benicio Del Toro and Robert Davi is well worth another look.
In it, a ruthless James Bond goes on a mission to destroy Frank Sanchez (Davi), the drug lord who murdered his friend’s new wife. The Blackjack scene is a classic, involving a high-stakes showdown between Bond and Sanchez.
The tension rises as the pot reaches a quarter of a million, in a game that is about all about revenge. Not only does Bond triumph, he also wins over the dealer, Talisa Soto, who just happens to be Sanchez’s girlfriend.
James Bond is a popular film series that has a range of gambling scenes.
The Hangover – (2009)
If you want humour then look no further than ‘The Hangover’, a brilliantly funny tale about four friends on a stag night in Las Vegas. It became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy ever in the United States and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
After a night on the town, three friends awake to discover the groom is missing and they can’t remember anything about the night before. They decide to retrace their steps in order to find their missing friend in time for his impending wedding.
Tricked into believing the groom is being held hostage for $80,000, they decide to raise the money by playing Blackjack. After reading a book called “The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book,” Alan (Zack Galifianakis) hilariously triumphs at the table.
Over the years, movies have helped to shape our understanding of gambling and change cultural perceptions of a once taboo activity. With the relaxation of gambling laws and improved accessibility thanks to smart phones, gaming is now regarded as a fun way to spend your leisure time.
Frankie Wilde – is a content writer at various gambling sites. Also, he is a passionate traveler and a great cook. Frankie shares informative articles with the world.
