A casino is a place where people can play games of chance, including slot machines and table games like poker. It also features a number of entertainment options, such as bars and restaurants. Some casinos are standalone, while others are part of a larger resort or hotel. Casinos are open to people over the age of 21, and they usually have a strict dress code. Some people find gambling addictive and can end up selling their belongings or going into debt to keep playing.
Casino has a few bravura set pieces but, mutatis mutandis, could be described as a standard Martin Scorsese movie: Ray Liotta is Henry Hill, the mobster whose corrupt empire spans several states, while Sharon Stone spikes her star turn from Basic Instinct into a character whose seductive machinations are both awe-inspiring and frightening. The only thing that really sets it apart is the fact that it has two equally dominant narrators.
Casino reveals how gambling corporations and huge banks controlled Las Vegas, with tendrils reaching out to politicians, the Teamsters unions, and mafia factions across the country. But it’s Sharon Stone that steals the show, bringing her trademark sensuality and lust for money to the role. Her performance is not only the film’s highlight but one of its greatest achievements. It’s hard to imagine another actress pulling off such a layered and complicated character.