My thoughts on Casino

I just saw Casino last night for the first time in a while, and I have to say it is very poor. This is in no way a post to stir up any commotion, but the only good things from it were the brilliant as usual Joe Pesci, and a great performance from De Niro, even though his character was weak. Anyone else agree that this film is extremely overated?

If you look for the blinding pace and mordant humor of "Goodfellas," "Casino" will disappoint. But it provides a long, exquisitely detailed look at the casino industry and mob involvment. And it has, as you point out, great performances by DeNiro, Pesci and especially Sharon Stone. I like "Casino," but I haven't watched it as often as "Goodfellas."

Casino didn't disappoint me I thought it was a good flick. In a strange way I prefer it over Goodfellas. Don't noone flame me for that.

Uhhh Casino isn't overrated at all....For anything it is underrated, cuz i never hear much about it...Casino is great...Also Turnbull Congrats On Turning To Underboss.

I thought casino was a great movie. One of my favorits.

Molto grazie, , Tony!

i like the Casino movie, its not overrated. its listed on my top ten favorites. . .

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I command this family right or wrong . . . it was not what I wanted!

I just thought it relied far too heavily on the actors in the film. I havent seen a film with Joe Pesci in it that I havent enjoyed, but Casino just didnt do it for me. I don't think its in the same class as Goodfellas. Congrats Turnbull on becoming an underboss. You deserve it, all posts are insightful and thought provoking.

weak? i have this movie on dvd and i thought it was pretty damn good, it wasnt a classic but it wasnt bad, great performances and the ending was one of my favorite parts too

Casino was a good movie. Very entertaining. Sharon Stone's best performance in my opinion. Joe and Robert always have a great connection.

everyone can say what they think.....

Isn't Casnio based on a true story? Now that is what is great about Casino.....Telling a real life story, knowing that most parts had happen in real life to someone. played out by two great men DeNiro and Pesci., and a great acting job by Sharon Stone.When you say weak are you talking about the real life person or De Niro part in the movie. You do know that people in the know say that De Niro did a great job playing Sam Rothstein and he wasn't afraid to tell De Niro so.

I knew this would happen, not one criticism of Casino. I thought the whole thing was pretty poorly conceived. And I don't know how you can say Sharon Stone had a great performance. I just didnt believe her in the part. Pesci held the film up. DeNiro was excellent, but the scenes towards the end with Stone were so boring. Does anyone agree with me???!!!!

My comment was not made to cause trouble. I think that the real Sam Rothstein also said that Sharon Stone did a great job showing the wild side, and the dark side of the love of his life. A women who he felt was as addictive as a drug to him.Who would knoow beter then the man who's life it was. I agree, I think she did her job, starting out as a sexy casino whore who would do anything to get money,then a drugged and boozed out whore who was a poor excuse for a wife and mother. De Niro played the smart Jewish point setting casino manager who was not strong on muscle but smart enough to live thru it all. By the way I usally don't care much for Sharon Stone in other films.

The movie was based on Nicholas Pileggi's book, "Casino," which tells the same story in real life. Only the names were changed in the film. "Ace Rothstein" is really Larry (Lefty) Rosenthal. "Nicky Santoro" is Anthony (The Ant) Spilotro, "a very scary guy," to cop a quote from Another Crime Movie. In fact, everyone in the film is based on real-life characters. Oscar Goodman, the guy who plays Ace's lawyer, was his and The Ant's lawyer in real life, and is now the mayor of Vegas.
I thought Sharon Stone gave a very intense performance, credible as someone who cannot overcome her compulsive use of drugs and attachment to her pimp lover (superbly played by the Sultan of Sleaze, James Woods). Seeing her being transformed from glamor girl to nutcase still scares me.

That is the names I couldn't remember. Didn't both Pesci and DeNiro really look alot like the real people they portrayed?

Pesci sure does. I bought a really good book on Vegas a few years ago called "The Black Book and the Mob," which is a scholarly work by two University of Nevada - Las Vegas professors that traces the history of gambling and Mob involvement in Nevada. Photos of many of the people portrayed in "Casino" appear in this book. Pesci bears an uncanny resemblance to Anthony The Ant Spilotro, who he portrayed. The guy who played the nominal CEO of the hotel (the guy who got the loan from the Teamsters) is an absolute dead-ringer for Alan Glick, the real-life person. The guy who played Pesci's brother Dominick is another dead-ringer--for The Ant's real-life brother. Alas, DeNiro doesn't look anything like his character, Larry (Lefty) Rosenthal.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants a comprehensive look at organized crime involvement in Nevada gambling. It's far better than Pileggi's "Casino."

I have seen those words alot on this boards what does that mean in american?

Means "many thanks."

Wow, I learnt plenty there about the real life stuff I didn't know.

Sorry, what language?

I think the film is great, I really enjoy it but I have to agree with Sermanni on some points. The film does drag sometimes even though the acting is superb.

great post Rusty...always a pleasuer to read good posts

Comparisons between GoodFellas and Casino are inevitable, and I personally think that while GoodFellas is the better film, Casino is no slouch. It may not have the energy and bravura of GoodFellas, but it is compelling nonetheless, and it is certainly one of my favourite movies. The performances are excellent all round (I thought De Niro was better than he was in GoodFellas).

I guess you're on your own, Sermanni.

Just saw it today and I would have to put that movie in my top 10, if not 5. I thought that it had great acting, a great storyline, and overall great parts to make it phenomenal! I haven't seen Goodfellas yet though and I can't wait to see how they stack up to each other and my other favs (scarface, GF's.)

I knew it was coming, I was just WAITING for Turnbull to say how it's about Pileggi's book, and Rothstein and Santorro are real but NOT the real names! Thanks!

I just watched Casino and i thoguht it was a Classic. Top 20 all-time. Top 5 Mob Movies. Casino, Goodfellas, Gf Trilogy. They're awesome, Goodfellas and Casino BOTH have AWESOME storylines, to drown out the Fwords. As opposed to Sopranos whose F words drown out the story line!

I love Casino, i fell for Rothstein. How could it NOT be a great movie with pesci, and DeNiro. It's a CLASSIC!

Was anybody else wondering if they bought the right movie, when they popped Casino in and saw DisneyWorld and Nickelodeon?

i like Casino a lot, its one of my fav movies, but however it is overrated, i hear people saying its as good as Goodfellaz and the Godfather and well i aint climbin that tree, nahmean? Pesci is excellent, but De Niro's character is a P*ssy, im not saying he had to be like Jimmy Conway "NOT TO BE F*CKED WITH" sorta guy but he coulda at least had sum street smmarts bout him

It was good, but coulda' been better. I thought there was too much narrating and the narrative really got cheesy at the final scene with the baseball bats! Bottom line: good storyline, great actors, lousy editing. But I thought Sharon Stone was H-O-T!!! (Ain't she always?!?!)

I'm re-watching CASINO on video right now ( I'm waiting for the Special Edition to come out before I get the DVD) I've got to tell you just seeing DeNiro in a pink suit exiting the Tony Roma's is worth the price of admission. When I first saw it the whole audience cracked up....of course he got blown up 30 seconds, but what they hey?

This will sound like a stupid statement but: although I enjoyed Casino, there was too much sun. Gangsters just seem out of place in bright sunshine.