Martin Scorsese is a master of films that focus on flawed characters who rise to the top before eventually falling due to their own poor decisions. Casino takes the formula of Goodfellas and applies it to a different type of story \u2013 one that looks at the mob\u2019s relationship with Las Vegas. It\u2019s a fascinating look at how a city that mints money in the billions is run by corrupt and greedy men.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a three hour film and never feels sluggish or runs out of steam. The editing is taut and the narration is spot on. The cast is superb \u2013 with Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone all delivering outstanding performances.<\/p>\n
The opening scenes are shot with a documentary-like style and feel entertaining from the get-go. The narrator\u2019s voice-overs are also spot on, revealing a lot of exposition that helps the viewer quickly understand the world of Sam \u201cAce\u201d Rothstein and his mob connections. Over time, the film evolves from this fast-cut, documentary approach and moves towards more of a traditional narrative.<\/p>\n
The best performance of the film comes from Stone as Ginger McKenna, a smart hustler who loves to seduce her marks. She spikes the movie\u2019s energy with her sexy presence and her ability to manipulate her men. It\u2019s a great character to watch, and one that helped make her a superstar at the time. It\u2019s a great example of how Scorsese can use his storytelling skills to elevate even the most ordinary genre films.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Martin Scorsese is a master of films that focus on flawed characters who rise to the top before eventually falling…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n