After the success of Goodfellas, Martin Scorsese was able to secure a deal to make Casino, another mob movie. He had two of his stars from that film, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, join forces again in this thriller about organized crime in Las Vegas. Based on the nonfiction book by Nicholas Pileggi, Casino takes place in an era when casinos were a playground for mob bosses and their henchmen.

The movie makes us feel like we are eavesdropping on these conversations, with scenes that are reminiscent of the Copacabana scene in Goodfellas. The first part of the movie is an example of this, with a money counting sequence that allows us to see how Ace Rothstein and others skimmed millions from the casinos. It’s more than just slot machine winnings – they also shaved off profits from other games, food service, and gift shops.

In addition to its fascinating story, Casino is a great example of how a movie can be made by a director who focuses on his actors’ performances. The film’s lead, Sharon Stone, gives one of the best performances of her career as Ginger McKenna. Joe Pesci is as menacing as ever in his role as Mobster Nicky Santoro.

It’s not a perfect movie, but it’s still very good and definitely worth watching. It’s the kind of film where everything works well together, from its structure to its acting. It also has a clear thesis statement about the nature of criminals and how they can all fall from grace.