Chances are you have found yourself watching a heist flick, thinking “Yeah, I could do that, I would just need one chance”. One of the movie industry’s guilty pleasures is that these films are often filled with fast-talking con men/women, a getaway driver, some sort of safe-cracking expert, and the mastermind. Despite having much of the same formula, fans always enjoy being taken for a ride as one of the “accomplices”.
Over the years some of the heist movies have focused on banks, trains, art galleries, and extremely wealthy people’s houses as their preferred choice to rob. One of the most obvious targets in heist movies are casinos due to the large amount of money that travels in and out. In the following list of ten films, fans will often recognize some of the world’s best casinos as the backdrop for their favorite casino heist movie.
3,000 Miles To Graceland
Featuring a star-studded cast, 3000 Miles To Graceland did not have the same box office success as other films on this list but would become a cult classic among heist film lovers for its dark outlandish comedy and action. Using an Elvis convention as their coverup, a group, led by recently paroled Michael Zane (Kurt Russell) successfully robs The Riviera before eventually turning on each other.
Ocean’s Franchise
Based on the original 1960s Rat Pack film that focused on robbing various Las Vegas casinos, the 2001 Ocean’s 11 remake featuring an all-star cast became a box office blockbuster and spawned an additional three films. With help from their friends, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) set out to rob three of Las Vegas’s most famous casinos, The Bellagio, The Mirage, and the MGM Grand.
The Gambler
Starring Mark Wahlberg, this 2014 remake of the 1974 film featuring James Caan, explores the life of Jim Bennett, a literature professor who is $250,000 in debt to a number of shady characters. With just a week to pay off his debts or die, Bennett heads down a path of self-destruction. Despite having various opportunities to break free from his demons, the lure of the thrill and adrenaline of gambling proves to be more than Bennett can handle as he continues to put people in his life at risk.
Runner Runner
Featuring Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck, Brad Furman’s 2013 film explores the dark side of online gambling. Struggling to pay his tuition fees, Richie Furst (Timberlake) takes to making money by playing online poker only to find himself cheated out of his money by Ivan Block (Affleck), an online gambling tycoon. Traveling from the safety of Princeton University to unknown territory in Costa Rica, Furst gets wrangled into Block’s world of dangerous and illegal activities.
21
Based on the true story of a group of MIT students and their professor, known as the MIT Blackjack Team. Using card counting techniques, the six students headed to Las Vegas to beat “the house” at its own game. While the film simplifies the technique, the math, intellect, and teamwork needed sets the group into a world of deception and risk as they chase the wealth and excitement of beating the system.
Reindeer Games
As a recently released convict, played by Ben Affleck, Rudy Duncan assumes the identity of his cellmate upon his release and meets the girl of his dreams. However, Duncan would soon wind up being kidnapped and forced to rob the casino that he previously worked at by his captors. Featuring Charlize Theron, Gary Sinise, and Danny Trejo, the film was a box office fail, but with its action, suspense, twists, and betrayal, the 2000 thriller is still among the best casino heist films.
Now You See Me
Combining magic and illusion, this 2013 heist thriller (and its sequel) follows a group known as the Four Horsemen who attempt to evade the law as they pull off a series of elaborate and increasingly seemingly impossible heists. From the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to Paris’s Credit Republican Bank, the characters in Now You See Me travel around the world as they use the audience at their sold-out performances to aid in their schemes and plans in an effort to stay one step ahead of the FBI.
The Good Thief
Set in the French Riviera, this 2002 Nick Nolte crime thriller tells the tale of Bob Montagnet, a professional thief and heroin addict who uses his charm and wit to pull off a series of heists. Looking for that “one last score” Montagnet creates a team and a plan to help him avoid the authorities in Monte Carlo. Although not an exact remake, director Neil Jordan draws inspiration from the 1956 French classic film, Bob le Flambeur.
The Sting
Although not a traditional casino heist film this 1973 film featuring Paul Newman and Robert Redford revolves around a complex con as Henry Gondorff and Johnny Hooker look to avenge the death of a friend. Whereas many of the films on this list are more of the thriller genre, George Roy Hill’s film brings a more comedic approach.
The Card Counter
Oscar Issac plays a former military interrogator and gambler who became a self-taught card counter while serving time in prison. Although haunted by his demons and his time in jail, William “Tell” Tillich (Issac) makes the rounds to various casinos, playing blackjack and poker for low stakes to both feed his addiction and avoid unwanted attention. Tillich eventually meets a young man who presents him with an offer to kill a mutual military acquaintance for a fee. Presented with a challenge between right and wrong and dealing with his past, Tillich winds up making a decision that impacts the rest of his life.
