Blackjack is one of the most popular games in the casino – it is simple to learn, exciting and exhilarating, and you might even win some cash if you can beat the dealer without going bust.
Playing blackjack is a game of chance and probability, and players around the world enjoy getting involved because even a beginner has the chance to beat the house.
As blackjack games are such a cornerstone of both online and physical casinos, it is no surprise that blackjack has become just as synonymous with casinos as roulette and poker – and that has meant that it has been featured in movie and TV shows the world over.
Below we will check out some of the best movie that have featured blackjack scenes.
21
While this movie might not have had the critical acclaim of some of the others on this list, the whole fil revolves around blackjack and a team of MIT students who learned how to count cards and went on to rip off several Vegas casinos.
This movie is based on real events as described in the 2003 book Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich, and stars Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Josh Gad, and Kate Bosworth.
Casino
Casino is one of Martin Scorsese’s most popular epic gangster flick and is another one that has some glimmer of truth and reality in it. Based loosely on the FBI investigation of skimming at the Stardust Resort and Casino, this movie has a huge, detailed plot that focuses on the rise and fall of the Tangiers casino through mobster rule.
The blackjack scene is used to show Nicky (Played by Joe Pesci) as the utterly unhinged sociopath that he is through his ruthless and flashy play.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
This is a classic fil released in 1975, based on the cult book by Ken Kasey. Some people think that it is Jack Nicholson’s finest work – and it is an incredible piece of cinema with so many layers you might miss the significance of the blackjack scenes.
As an addition to this list, there is no real drama in the blackjack game – it’s a plot device used to deal with the loss of freedom that comes with incarceration – and it is the only one on the list where a blackjack game doesn’t take place in a casino.
Rain Man
This Oscar-winning movie was released in 1988 and follows the story of Charlie (played by Tom Cruise) who discovers that his estranged father has left his entire estate to an unknown brother named Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) who is an autistic savant in a mental institution. Charlie learns that one of Raymonds savant abilities is to count – so uses him to count cards in a casino playing blackjack to help him pay off some debt.
It does turn into a more heartwarming story, but the blackjack scene is one that everyone remembers.
The Hangover
You can’t feature Rain Man without looking at the parody that Zach Galifianakis performed in The Hangover. This comedy film was a smash hit when it came out, with ridiculous shenanigans involving a tiger, Frank Bruno, and the stars needing to win $80,000 on a blackjack game.
Galifianakis parodies the famous Rain Man scene so well that it has become a meme – and it is an instantly recognizable scene that is one of the best in the movie.
James Bond: License to Kill
You can’t make a list about famous casino scenes without including James Bond – he is the epitome of cool sitting at a casino table and the 007 films are often set in and around casinos.
License to Kill is the film that featured not only a suae and sophisticated Bond outmanoeuvring the villain at the blackjack table but is also the origin of the line “shaken, not stirred” that Bond is most famous for.
In this film, the blackjack scene oozes tension, finding the balance between danger and luxury that makes Bond films so alluring.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Another less-than-serious movie, Austin Powers (Mike Myers) plays a character that is obviously a parody of James Bond – and as part of the shenanigans that he ends up in, he needs to play a game of blackjack against Number 2 – the villains second in command. While he is trying to get information, Austin Powers proves how useless he is at blackjack, while the baddie had secret x-ray vision that showed him his next card.
Playing blackjack, whether in a brick-and-mortar casino or online, is simple to learn – and you might want to try and recreate some of the scenes from these movies, or just hone your craft (although you might not want to take your card counting skill to Vegas, just in case).
