High stakes, drama, tension, all these combined make for compelling tv. This is even more pronounced when this combination is mixed into a movie about gambling. Here you have super-charged scenes which would feature millions of dollars at the tables where people play games with free spins no deposits.
The risk is of loss or wins are always high. Now, if gambling is your thing then you are in for a high ride. From free spins no deposits, to your money not been at risk, it is just the best part.
There have been some great movies over the year which have paid tribute to gambling and captured our hearts. Let's begin with;
Ocean's Eleven
The first of the Ocean's franchise begins with Ocean's 11. The movie although resolving around gambling has its major plot around casino heist. This first movie shows all the players who would pull of one of the biggest heist the strip has ever seen, round a table playing a game. George Clooney plays the character Danny Ocean in this film and in this scene we see Brad Pitt, another central character trying to call his bluff in a game of cards. Although the scene shows all characters relaxed in this scene, the movie is a gamblers dream.
Rain Man
Going back to the mid 80's precisely 1988, we bring you the film that won Best Picture in 1988. The Rain Man features Dustin Hoffman as lead character and Tom Cruise as his brother. The movie has its famous scene featuring Dustin Hoffman where he wins big in a game of cards despite been autistic. He does this will proving his brother, Tom Cruise, wrong as he shows of this card counting and mathematical capability. The scene is played with other characters in matching suits that aptly represents the 1980's and Dustin Hoffman won an Oscar for this movie.
Casino Royale
We all can expect high stakes, guns, highly charged atmosphere, cheating, millions of dollars on the tables when it involves a James Bond aka 007, movie. The iconic scene in the 2006 James Bond movie played by Daniel Craig, shows 007 in a gambling scene featuring the villain known as, La Chiffre. Both characters are playing a game of Texas Hold'em and James Bond starts off by losing big. The scene further plays out with Bond been poisoned by La Chiffre, he suffers a heart attack, but he succeeds in neutralising the toxin. He eventually wins the game with over $100 million in his pocket.
Run Lola Run
With the life of her boyfriend at stake, he is been held by a group of local gangsters, Lola has to make 100,000 deutschmarks in 20 minutes. The movie shows her placing all the money on 20 black at a roulette table. Now the odds of her winning a bet like this stands at 1,2961 to 1, but when we have a story about love in the movies everything always works for the best. She wins and the rest they say, is history.
Rounders
Although the movie is centred around poker, the iconic gambling scene here is played at a game of Texas Hold'em. The movie features great actors Matt Damon and John Malkovich in a high stakes game. Matt Damon has $10,000 in the game which he cannot afford to lose as he plays to help his friend out of a huge debt owned. This scene in Rounder is super charged as the showdown progresses. It is also bound to have you highly tense as you watch for the end but like all good movies, good wins out most times.
Parent Trap
There the gambling scene is not between adults. There are no guns, toxins or debts to be paid. What is at stake is the loser gets to jump into a pool naked. You know between 11 year olds, this is a big deal. The movie features two 11 year old girls in a game of high stakes poker. These girls are twins, but one is raised in Britain while the other is raised American. So, to settle a score between them they go head to head in a game of poker. The game looks in favour of the Brit, but the American twin pulls out, like they say, an ace in the hole.
Hangover (a favourite)
Try and picture the most bizarre night of your life, then multiply that by 20. What you have is Hangover, the movie. Filled with crazy schemes, insane characters, unbelievable luck, Hangover is a must see movie. The gambling scene revolves around three crazy best friends at a card table of Blackjack. Zach Galifianakis shows off his unexpected mind-blowing maths skills at card counting while Bradley Cooper cheers him on. He wins like all good movies. This scene was a good tribute to the iconic scene in the Rain Man. Zach Galifianakis even wore the same type of suit.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
While all other movies would see out hero winning against the villain and against all odds, that is not the case with Austin Powers. In a high stakes games of Blackjack, which he has no knowledge of, refuses all advice from the dealers, he loses everything. This movie is termed action but depicted as a comedy. The scene shows Austin Powers in a stare off against the notorious number two across a Blackjack table. The calls he makes are atrocious, but he makes them with all the confidence of an amateur. The movie is bound to leave you in stitches.
Although these are the movies that make our list, there are some great others which I am sure you know. Gambling can be portrayed as fun and a means to change your life for the beat when you win big but on the other hand, you could lose it all at once or even find yourself addicted to it. That said, make a choice of any of these movie and I am certain you would come thank me later.
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