Review of Casino (1995) by Peter P — 03 Mar 2015

Scorsese's second gangster film is not as memorable as Goodfellas, and at times feels very familiar, but still boasts Scorsese favourites and shows us the interesting inner-workings of Las Vegas casinos, offing people all the while.

The acting is superb across the board with De Niro's usual intimidating demeanor, Joe Pesci's violent mob enforcer, and Sharon Stone's psychotic, train-wreck leaving their mark. The story is fascinating and told expertly with Scorsese's sweeping-camera and narration style that he has mastered.

The violence is in-your-face and brutal at times, but it's nothing you won't expect from this genre. As I said before, there are elements that feel VERY familiar and the amount of time focused on Sharon Stone's impossible-to-like character gets grating towards the end, and in a nearly three-hour film, you'll take notice.

It is still a fantastic film with rich characters, memorable moments (Pesci puts a guy's head in a friggin vise), and the expertly crafted style we can expect from Scorsese is always rewarding!