We look at some of the best gambling themed movies.
There’s something inherently cinematic about gambling. From the roll of a
dice to the spin of a roulette wheel, laying a bet is fraught with
nerve-tingling suspense, something many filmmakers have taken advantage of
with narratives set in the world of gambling. If you prefer to take part
yourself rather than just watch, you can find the best sport betting sites
at
bettingtop10.com, but we recommend you check out these five movies. You might even get some
betting tips from them.
The Gambler (1974)
Ignore the recent Mark Wahlberg starring remake and instead check
out the far superior original from director Karel Reisz.
James Caan delivers a career best performance as a college professor
who lives for the rush of
gambling. Unfortunately for him, this leads to him owing money to a ruthless mob
boss. Can he gamble his way out of the situation? Screenwriter
James Toback based the story on elements of his own life.
California Split (1974)
1974 also gave us Robert Altman’s
California Split. Elliott Gould is at his oddball best as a middling gambler who
strikes up a friendship with George Segal, a gambler who seems to
have the midas touch. The pair rise through the ranks of the LA gambling
scene, with the film culminating in a deliciously tense high stakes poker
game.
Hard Eight (1996)
Before
Boogie Nights
put him on the map, Paul Thomas Anderson directed this indie drama in
which an aging gambler (Philip Baker Hall) teaches his skills to a
young man (John C Reilly) while in the world capital of gambling, Las
Vegas. Look out for early appearances by Gwyneth Paltrow and the late
Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Two for the Money (2005)
Matthew McConaughey is a former football star whose knack for
picking winners brings him into contact with Al Pacino’s sports
consultant. The two combine their knowledge and begin winning big, leading
to a nerve-wracking climax that literally comes down to the toss of a
coin.
Casino Royale (2006)
When the 007 franchise was rebooted with Daniel Craig in the role of
Bond, it kicked off with a more cerebral take on the spy genre than we had
previously seen. While it offers big action sequences, the highlight of
Casino Royale is arguably a scene in which Craig faces off
against Mads Mikkelsen in a poker game.
