Casino is a twinkly, noisy place where people roll the dice and see if luck is on their side. It’s a good time, but it is not a lucrative way to make money. You’ll probably lose more than you win, and that is why most people who gamble go broke.
Casinos have many tricks up their sleeve to keep people gambling for longer periods of time. One is not telling patrons how much time has passed since they began playing, which can reduce their awareness of how much they’re spending and makes them less likely to stop when they’re losing. Another trick is offering free drinks, which inebriates players and clouds their judgment.
Another is using scents to create a manufactured euphoric experience. For example, some casinos use the smell of freshly baked bread or a fruity cocktail to lure in customers. Some even have a “near-win” system where they’ll program slot machines to produce near-wins, which makes players feel like they are on the edge of winning and keeps them coming back for more.
A complex, multilayered, beautifully directed film that takes some of the basic formulas from Goodfellas and stretches them into something entirely different. It’s a story of destruction and betrayal that is well worth seeing, especially if you can appreciate Sharon Stone in her full glory, as she does here. It’s also a great showcase for Joe Pesci, who gives his best performance of his career.
