Casino

My thoughts

It was the last day it was available on Netflix. I decided to watch it after seeing a YouTube video about gambling scams that mentioned how accurate this movie is. The story and cast were excellent. I noticed that modern gangster films, like those by Guy Ritchie or Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s series), follow a similar style — which I really like. The alternating narration between Sam and Nicky made it engaging, and Nicky’s character was terrifying yet believable in his influence. (Enjoyment 10/10)

Summary (Full Spoilers)

• Sam “Ace” Rothstein, a mob-connected bookie, is sent to run the Tangiers Casino in 1970s Las Vegas.
• Nicky Santoro, his violent childhood friend, comes to protect him but starts running his own criminal rackets.
• Ace marries Ginger McKenna, a glamorous hustler who can’t let go of her ex, Lester Diamond.
• Under Ace, the casino thrives — strict management, high profits, and mob skimming from the count room.
• Ginger spirals into addiction and paranoia, straining her marriage and loyalty.
• Nicky’s greed and brutality draw FBI attention, endangering everyone.
• The mob cleans house: Nicky and his brother are beaten and buried alive.
• Ginger dies alone from an overdose; Ace survives an assassination attempt.
• By the 1980s, the old mob-run Vegas fades, replaced by corporations — Ace ends up back as a low-key gambler, reflecting on how the empire collapsed.