COLD DECK
The story follows the life of a poker player by the name of Bobby, who has a gambling problem and continues to play poker games even though he doesn’t have any money left. Bobby is a romantic who is rather careless. He cheats on most people in his life to get the money to play poker. He has lost many things on many occasions, but he simply believes the next game is his. In order to join this high-stake poker game he decides to steal a car and his mother’s life savings, then ends up being involved with a dangerous man called Turk. The movie tells a beautiful but sad story of how gambling addiction can ruin friendships and people’s lives, but also conveys some fantastic life lessons that you can benefit from. It is one of the most interesting movies about poker made in Canada. Cold Deck was mainly shot in Toronto, Canada. Interestingly, the director Zack Bernbaum was born and raised in the city where the film is set.
OWNING MAHOWNEY
Directed by Richard Kwietniowski, Owning Mahowny (2003) stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver, and Maury Chaykin. Filmed in the heart of Toronto’s financial district and Niagara Falls, the film is based on the true story of Brian Molony, who is a trustworthy and loyal employee in the eyes of his superiors. Therefore, he is given more serious accounts to handle as he is promoted to the position of assistant branch manager. However, his employers are unaware of the fact that he is a compulsive gambler that illegally uses the bank’s money for his own selfish needs; Molony embezzled over $10 million in 1981. Sure, Owning Mahowny received mixed reviews from critics, but Hoffman’s performance is amazing, and he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. If you are a fan of the wonderful late actor, then you definitely need to watch this movie, as it shows all the breathtaking talent he had.
LUCKY GIRL
Made in Ontario, Lucky Girl follows the story of a girl named Kaitlyn who becomes hooked on gambling. She has an obsession with always being right, and the start of the film shows how happy she gets when she is able to win a prize from a winning lottery ticket. Later, Kaitlyn decides to get involved with gambling further as she sees it as a means of trying to raise funds for a trip to Amsterdam for her and her friends. She starts with sports betting and continues to increase her involvement with frequent bets, although this starts to bring about several bad decisions. Her mother saves her in the end. The film is about asking for help when times become tough.
THE LAST CASINO
Filmed in Toronto and Montréal, Québec, he last movie on our list is definitely one of the best casino movies made in Canada. It tells a story of a professor who has money problems and decides to train three of his brightest students to count cards at Blackjack to win him money. The professor is banned from casinos in Ontario and Quebec. That is why he simply needs to train three students how to count cards to assist him in making money to take care of his monetary problems within a period of nine months. The film explores many ethical dilemmas and definitely makes you think about what you would do in a situation like that. There is a bit of drama because he has a deadline, but the truth is that this movie is about ethics, and young people should definitely watch it.
These are some of the best movies made in Canada about casinos. They tell warm, human stories that teach a valuable lessons while containing wonderful Canadian locations that may make you want to visit, if you don’t live there already!