What’s that charming nuance about casino movies that prove so irresistible? Well, there’s certainly no shortage of such movies and surely such titles will not be lacking financing in the future. Watching someone risk it all and getting a fat reward for their courage will never get old. It’s not just that though. We can clearly feel a dopamine rush, as if coming to remind us what being alive feels like, just by watching. Is it really that simple? Can we put it down to a simple chemical reaction, that’s been known for so long? – the truth is somewhere there. So how about we set the record straight once and for all and try to answer how and why we are held captives by titles such as Ocean’s Eleven, where everything is on the line. Roll the tape!

Watch the Underdog Settle the Score

We’ve all been there, fighting against the odds, facing a daunting challenge, in our career or another aspect of our daily life. You try really hard, following your dream but seemingly a thousand obstacles pop out of nowhere to prevent you from accomplishing your goal. If you choose to watch Hollywood movies though, you don’t have to worry about failing. The sense of security comes from the foreknowledge there will be a happy end. And we just can’t wait to see it because when it comes to films about casino, the end is always spectacular. When life hits you hard, you crash down hard, and in gambling, this could mean parting with one’s bottom dollar. So it’s quite natural and humane to feel sympathy for movie characters, albeit fictional. A prime example is Matt Damon with a most memorable performance in the movie Rounders (1998). The will to go on even when things are not looking great is a recurring theme in the title. But of course, what makes it one of the best casino films is a combination of different components working together, rather than a single great idea.

From Rags to Riches

Another one of our favourite stories is when the young and pure by heart main character gets a hold of a life-changing amount of money. As is oftentimes the case with gambling movies, the main character is ready to get to the top by any means necessary, even if that means not playing by the rules. Plotting out a near-impossible plan to rob a heavily fortified Las Vegas casino falls under the ‘not playing by the rules’ category in our book. That’s exactly what the movie Ocean’s Thirteen is about. We are just fascinated with the idea of getting filthy rich overnight, isn’t that so? Who wouldn’t root for the excentric bunch trying to pull out the robbery of the century? Having a plot that successfully captures both the positives and negatives of being human, the film remains one of the classics of the genre