Top British casino movies of all time
In the evolution of the various global film industries, casino movies have been a constant. While most of them are based on drastically different storylines, the presence of casinos and a high-stakes game that determines the progression of a significant event, often having a global impact, is uniformly found.
Casinos have been the setting where bad guys go to indulge in gambling and decide the details on upcoming explosive events to be organized, and usually, a secret agent infiltrates this group to stop the mafia from putting its plans into action.
On the other hand, other casino movies show how gambling can get you addicted and cause you to fall into a spiral of debt, depression, losing money, family, and more. Movies about Pokies Online Australia, Poker, and others are common, often showing the lead who owes a considerable sum to a gangster.
Top British Casino Movies of all time
British Cinema has made a number of casino movies over the years, and some of them are super iconic. All the different movies cover various aspects of gambling and casinos, whether it is a crime, mafia, greed, depression, manipulation, dire consequences, murders, high-stakes card games, or something else.
If you are newly starting to discover British cinema and are interested in casino movies, this website is where you can find must-watch casino movies. Here is a list of some of the top casino movies in the British Cinema of all time:
Croupier: A gloomy film setup, the Croupier is the story of Owen, a writer, working as a croupier in a casino while he writes his book. Through a series of events, unfortunate, one might say, he finds himself involved with the mafia and underworld dangers.
Experiencing some life-altering events, Owen finally gets the stuff that makes his book the best seller, but the experiences scar him for life. Directed by Mike Hodges, this movie is typical of the early British thriller films with long monologues and has thus been nicknamed a “neo-noir” film by many.
Revolver: The Jason Statham starrer Revolver, directed by Guy Ritchie, is a Casino-based action movie in which Statham is displayed as a conman who has recently been released from custody. Upon his freedom, the actor goes to a casino to visit and gamble against the gangster who owes Statham money.
While his resolve is to win all the money he is owed, the character loses instead, leading him on a path to seek revenge against the gangster in the only way Statham knows. This action-packed movie will keep you hooked and is a must-watch to learn some gambling tricks also.
Casino Royale: A beloved secret agent with a license to kill, this installment of the James Bond series flooded the franchise with fandom. Daniel Craig’s impressive portrayal of Det. James Bond just makes the entire movie experience unreal.
Casino Royale is where James Bond indulges in a high-stakes poker game against an arms dealer who eventually wins. However, the way the game is played in the movie is what has caught the eye of the audience and greatly encouraged them to learn more about the game.
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels: Bringing British gangster movies to a whole new level, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a class apart. This is another Guy Ritchie film that starts with a shady poker game, wherein the lead character is cheated out of his money by a gangster.
The rest of the movie follows the lead and his friends as they try to get their hands on the thousands of dollars that our lead ends up owing to the gangster. While it sounds quite a serious movie, the film balances violence and comedy in the perfect blend.
Funny Man: Contrary to what the name would suggest, this movie falls into the genre of a horror-comedy. The story revolves around the negative side of gambling and casinos, leading up to displaying traits of greed and ugly consequences, which most people fall into through a gambling addiction.
A movie along the lines of Deadpool, Funny Man shows the story of a renowned record producer who ends up winning poker games and taking the house for millions. What follows is a series of attempts at murder and manipulation of him and his family by a demonic “joker.”
There are various more casino movies directed and released in the British Cinema, but as a newbie, these are the ones to start with. Covering a wide range of genres from crime to thriller to horror to comedy, these movies will allow you to find your thing.
After watching these movies, you are surely going to enjoy casino movies a lot and want to explore more. Many people like all the different genres in moderation to keep their palette fresh, while others like a specific genre and stick with it. Which one are you?