A lot of movies have been praised for their depictions of gambling. For instance, Rounders offered a fairly accurate portrayal of poker and the grinder lifestyle. But even Rounders has attracted some criticism over the years. Some have rightfully pointed out that Matt Damon’s character took unnecessary gambles while other critics have shed light on the character’s horrendous bankroll management style. However, these instances can’t really be described as cringeworthy.
On the flip side, many movies that incorporate gambling into the scripts are so off the mark and so unrealistic that they are truly embarrassing. That said, a bit of cringe can give audiences some valuable insight. Let’s take a look at three of the most cringeworthy gambling scenes in movies and see what they told us.
Lampooning Casino Games
One of the most truly cringeworthy gambling scenes in movies comes from Vegas Vacation. What separates this type of cringe from many other instances of it is that it was done intentionally to get laughs. Mission accomplished!
After continually getting pummeled at the blackjack tables, good ol’ Clark Griswold decides to try some of Las Vegas’ more unique games like Pick a Number, Guess Which Hand, and Rock, Paper, Scissors. You definitely won’t find sites listed at casinosonline.ph/new-online-casinos/ offering games like that. While the whole idea of a casino offering such games is preposterous, the cringy gags work on so many levels.
Dan Mahowny’s Sports Betting System
Owning Mahowny tells the story of a severe gambling addict who ends up embezzling millions of dollars from the bank he works at to pay for his gambling lifestyle. In one particular scene, Mahowny calls his bookie to place some baseball bets. He obviously hasn’t researched the games, and he doesn’t even know which teams are playing. After a short pause, he tells the bookie: “Give me all the home teams in the National and all the away teams in the American. Every game to the $1,000 max.”
This scene isn’t cringeworthy because it’s far-fetched. It isn’t. It’s cringeworthy because it’s so spot on and a lot of gambling addicts in the audience would have been able to easily relate to the situation. The thrill of the action is more powerful than the thrill of winning.
Was the Poker Dealer the World’s Best Card Mechanic?
James Bond films aren’t exactly anchored in reality. That’s one of the reasons for the franchise’s success over the past several decades. However, the poker scene in 2006’s Casino Royale was so over-the-top that it entered the realm of cringe. When the final hand reaches showdown, the first guy reveals an ace-high flush. The second player shows a full house before Le Chiffre turns over his bigger full house. Of course, Bond tops them all with a straight flush.
While this scene delivers the drama, the whole premise is beyond ridiculous. Let’s set aside the fact that the odds of a hand playing out in such a manner are much higher than merely astronomical. The bigger question is why Bond would have gotten into that hand in the first place with a lousy 5-7 suited. Especially with all of those monster raises in front of him. Unintentional cringe at its finest, but it tells us something interesting about James Bond.
Cringe Can Be Entertaining
Be it intentional or by accident, a cringeworthy movie scene can contribute greatly to a story. Clark Griswold’s cringe moment in the casino simply and hilariously reinforces what we already knew about his terrible luck. Dan Mahowny’s moment of cringe illustrated how deeply rooted and out of control his gambling addiction was. James Bond playing a lousy 5-7 of spades in the face of multiple huge raises clearly shows that he isn’t afraid to take massive risks. All of those cringe moments further defined the characters.
