Sayak Basu
Gambling is one of the vices of human beings which has been around since prehistoric times and has taken different manifestations as time progressed. Gambling involves winning and losing money, and thus the possibility of loss is bound to give rise to desperation, an instinct that is the root of many more evils. Filmmakers for long have been dealing with human vices, as most conflicts, we see in the plot of a movie have more often than not something to do with someone’s vices coming into play. And what is gambling if not a projection of greed, one of the seven deadly sins?
There have been many movies made on gambling, some of which have left a deep impact on film history. Some of those films are casino movies, while others are poker films. So, here’s the list of really good gambling movies on Netflix that are available to stream right now.
6. Win it All (2017)
‘Win It All’ premiered at South by Southwest, and then directly on Netflix. It is a movie about a gambling addict, Eddie (Jake Johnson) who works as a parking attendant to support his habit. It is a habit he cannot get rid of and even visits a therapist to recover from the addiction. Suddenly Eddie comes across Michael, a local goon who hands him a bag, asking him to keep it safe. Michael even promises Eddie a reward of ten thousand dollars if he keeps it with him and does not see what is inside. Saying this Michael flees and we come to know later that he has been arrested. Eddie, unable to control his curiosity, opens up the bag to find out that it contains some tools and a large sum of money. Probably the loot from a robbery Michael had carried out. Despite repeated warnings from his counselor, Eddie opens up the bag and starts gambling with the money, ending up losing most of it. Considering the amount there was initially, Eddie is afraid Michael might take his life if the money is not returned as it was. A superb performance from Johnson is the finest talking point of this movie directed by Joe Swanberg, who has also edited the movie. The film has also been lauded by critics.
5. 21 (2008)
Gambling is something students should definitely stay away from, no matter how good they are. This is what the protagonist of ’21’ Ben Campbell should have thought to himself. The movie shows revolves around Ben, who is an extremely bright student, but cannot manage to enroll at Harvard Medical School because of his inability to pay the fees. While he is frantically looking for ways to collect the money, Ben comes across an MIT professor by the name of Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey). Rosa is thoroughly impressed by Ben’s mathematical genius and asks him to join a blackjack team he has been building with bright, young minds such as Ben. The group travel to Las Vegas where they start winning the big bucks. But too much gambling makes Ben ignore his college work and he falls behind.
Later, he gets into a quarrel with Rosa after losing a large amount at a game. To add further complications, someone has figured out the new group of gamblers are up to something. Though this movie has mostly received mixed reviews, it is a thoroughly entertaining watch.
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4. Army of the Dead (2021)
Featuring a star-studded cast that includes Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, and Ana de la Reguera, ‘Army of the Dead’ is a zombie heist film directed and co-written by Zack Snyder. After a zombie outbreak leads to mass hysteria, Sin City is quarantined, and the military prepares to bomb the entire region to get rid of the undead. However, the public announcement reminds billionaire Bly Tanaka that he has kept $200 million in one of the safe vaults of his casino. In order to retrieve the money, he hires a group of mercenaries who are courageous enough to enter the zombie-infested city and get the money back before the nukes destroy everything.
3. Casino Royale (2006)
Inspired by Ian Fleming’s first novel of the same name, ‘Casino Royale’ is a spy film that stars Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, and Jeffrey Wright. The Martin Campbell directorial revolves around James Bond, the well-known spy who is entrusted with the mission to participate in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro. The event is supposed to be attended by Le Chiffre, a dangerous man who works as a banker for terrorists and is trying to consolidate his terror grip in the region. Bond must not only participate in the event, but he should also ensure that Chiffre does not get his hand on the money.
2. Croupier (1998)
Produced by Jonathan Cavendish and Christine Ruppert, ‘Croupier’ is a British neo-noir film written by Paul Mayersberg. The Mike Hodges directorial revolves around an aspiring writer named Jack Manfred, who takes a job as a croupier to make ends meet. While working, he tries to keep a close eye on the people to take part in the activity and feels that gamblers are born to lose. However, things slowly take an unexpected turn as he himself gets caught up in the glittery world of casinos, which ends up affecting his relationships and career.
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1. Uncut Gems (2019)
Directed by Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie, ‘Uncut Gems’ is a crime thriller movie that features Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, and Kevin Garnett. The film follows Howard, a charismatic New York City jeweler who makes a few gambles that could potentially lead to financial disaster. With his relationships, business, and everything else on the line, Howard must now show immense control and courage in the face of adversaries that stand in his way and a lifetime of comfort.
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