If you’re looking for a fun film that mixes gambling with love, Casino might be the one for you. The film is full of thrilling action, and its star, Sharon Stone, is an excellent choice. She spikes the energy of the first act, and her performance builds off her success in Basic Instinct. In this film, Stone’s character enjoys the power to seduce and control men. However, unlike in Basic Instinct, Stone’s character doesn’t have the ability to rein in herself. As a result, she’s a perpetual motion machine.

The film’s cinematography and set pieces are impressive. It has its own brand of filmmaking excitement, and cinematographer Robert Richardson takes it to extremes. Colors of money are saturated across the film, and the Nevada desert scenes take on lunar scale. While the film has a glimmer of humor, it also has a rueful sensibility that is apt to institutional systems of grift.

Casino is a ’70s period piece in which the movie’s protagonist is middle-aged. It’s not quite a hellscape, but one where the ’80s have been sanitized. In one scene, the protagonist laments the destruction of the Tangier and the transformation of Las Vegas into a family-friendly theme park.

There’s no doubt that casinos make their money by running games of chance. However, their mathematical advantage means that there’s no way to beat them – except through cheating. Ultimately, you have to make the decision based on your own preferences. But there are some games that you should avoid if you’re not into gambling.