There are a number of casino movies out there, many of them set in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Though gambling acts as something of a backdrop in some, there are other movies where a specific game is at the center of the story. These blackjack movies do the game justice in more ways than one.
21 (2008)
We’ve all seen the GIF of Zach Galifianakis in deep thought, equations whipping around his head. That comes from this movie, based on the famed MIT Blackjack Team. A loaded cast led by Kevin Spacey shows the team’s journey from winning hundreds of thousands at Vegas casinos to its untimely downfall. With a strong romantic subplot, this one of the best blackjack-based movies ever.
Croupier (1998)
While most gambling-based movies are about the player, this one is unique since it is about a blackjack dealer. Jack Manfred is a writer who takes a croupier job just to make ends meet. He breaks casino policy, getting involved with a fellow employee despite having a girlfriend. The scene where Jack deals to his boss is one that lives on as one of the best in any blackjack movie.
Rain Man (1988)
Even for those who have never seen the movie, Dustin Hoffman’s performance as Raymond Babbitt lives on as legend. An autistic savant with an affinity to count cards, Raymond helps deeply indebted brother Charlie take the Vegas blackjack tables by storm. This movie is littered with famous quotes, including one about Judge Wapner.
The Last Casino (2004)
The famed MIT Blackjack Team has been the subject of a few movies. Led by their professor, The Last Casino follows Professor Barnes as he puts together a team of students to pull off an epic live casino takedown. The math geniuses battle with trying to win big while battling the pressures brought on by Barnes, who fights his own demons in a compulsive gambling addiction. It’s a made for TV movie, but it certainly does not feel like one.
The Gambler (2014)
The cast is stacked – Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, Jessica Lange, Brie Larsen, and more – and the story is nothing short of gripping. The story centers on a literature professor who gets in deep with an underground casino operator. Owing a local loan shark as well, Professor Bennett has a week to pay it off or it will cost him his life. Though the movie comes down to a roulette spin, most of the movie is spent at the table, where the skilled Bennett plays some exceptional blackjack strategy.
