Blackjack has been a casino’s mainstay since it was first brought to the table, and it’s been more than 300 years since then. It is one of the most popular card games out there, and few belong in the same echelon. Because of this, it is no wonder that it attracted the attention of many Hollywood directors and featured a leading role in more than a few movies.
Today is as good a time as any to compile the list of the top 10 films that featured blackjack as the main theme or at least had a portion of the story revolving around this amazing game. Casino culture was vastly influenced by the ability of one game to break into the main waters of entertainment culture, and that card game is, of course, blackjack.
If you are a fan of the game itself we are sure you are going to enjoy these movie titles too. After all, what’s better than combining the entertainment elements of the popular Black Jack and the drama that comes with Hollywood movies. When you look at the titles we’re about to lay down below for you, make sure that you free up a few hours of your time to binge-watch some of these movies. 10 movies can’t be seen in a day, but if this is your type of fun, we reckon that you watch a single movie per day.
Blackjack is a classic card game, and we can say without exaggerating that some of the movies on our list are also classics. This means you should dedicate time and effort to them like you’re dedicating it to playing blackjack. Considering the two are peak entertainment, if you ask us, make sure you play a few rounds of blackjack online after watching each film. Now, without further ado, check out the top 10 blackjack films in our humble opinion.
The Gambler
Blackjack is all fun and games until you enter the waters bordering addiction. Both ourselves, and this film preach responsible gambling. Rupert Wyatt really managed to show all the facets of addiction by portraying the dark side of it through the role played by only Mark Wahlberg. The movie doesn’t focus solely on blackjack. Still, it is the central theme of the film together with casino games in general. It is a drama with high stakes and high pressure that players, not only high-rollers, face at the table. Critics loved this film and it was seen as missing a pinch of salt to make it a great one. From the start until the end this movie will have you hooked to your seat, the same way a drawn As has you waiting for the next card when playing online blackjack.
The Last Casino
Hollywood is not the only place where good movies are born as it’s proven by this Canadian masterpiece. The story of this film might be called a cliché and it is already seen in some other films, but doesn’t make it any less good. It follows the story of a struggling mathematics teacher who, together with a group of his students, leads an attack at casino blackjack tables to come out victorious by means of card counting. This piece features Charles Martin Smith, Katharine Isabelle, Kris Lemche, and Albert Chung, directed by Pierre Gill. The story happens in many casinos across Ontario and Quebec, giving the film a unique charm not seen in movies that feature standard Las Vegas powerhouses in the gambling world.
Holy Rollers
A provocative title, Holy Rollers is a 2010 indie film following the tragic life of a Hasidic Jew who gets involved in a chain of smuggling operations, including ecstasy, all covered by gambling endeavors that include blackjack being used as a cover. The film was created in a documentary fashion behind the lenses of Kevin Asch, who managed to create an intriguing setting that, at moments, appeared to be like a real-life story being told in real-time. While an indie movie, it still features a Hollywood A-lister, Jesse Eisenberg. The film provides enough story tied to blackjack to feature on this list, and you will not have any regrets if you put this one on your watch list.
The Card Counter
This movie has it all. It is directed by Paul Schrader, a legendary director, and features one of Hollywood’s darlings, Oscar Isaac. The story follows a professional blackjack player who is a former military interrogator in an introspective drama. Every blackjack fan needs to spend a few hours watching this blackjack masterpiece. The game of 21 is well depicted in films such as these and the actors in the film really pushed the gambling narrative forward with this one. Card counting is often a subject in movies about blackjack, and in that domain, this one remains no different. Yet, while The Card Counter could be just like one of the same BJ films on the web with an assembly cast of Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe, this one leaves little to be desired.
Rain Man
Rain Man is a classic in every sense of the word. While not entirely about blackjack, it is hard to omit it from this list due to the sheer quality of this movie. It is one movie that remains in people’s memories after only one watch. Even if you’ve seen it and have had time since 1988, it may be time for a re-watch. The scene that contains blackjack is a legendary one by Dustin Hoffman, who plays an autistic savant. When encountered with casino and blackjack, he uses supreme intellect for card counting and manages to win big. Starring Hoffman, who was rewarded with an Academy Award for this role, and Tom Cruise at the start of their career, Rain Man is a must-see piece of Hollywood history. By 2023 records, this film grossed $914 million. For a blockbuster released in 1988, this is a good revenue. Loved by casuals and critics, it is an ideal winter film for every blackjack fan out there to see how it’s done.
The Gambler
This 1974 masterpiece was directed by Karel Reisz and based on the story by James Toback. It stars Axel Freed and James Caan. It is a story about a literature professor who is battling addiction. The main protagonist is Axel, who starts his bad business after borrowing money from his girlfriend and later from his mother before turning to bookies. The story gets to the boiling point when he gets chased around by debt collectors looking to get back their investment. Unfortunately, many of us have this type of story happening in our lives as we speak and this is a frequent theme in movies such as this one. The theme might appear to be familiar, and that’s because this film served as an inspiration to most similarly-themed movies that came after. Even if you’re not a fan of gambling or blackjack in particular, you should check this title out due to Caan’s fantastic performance.
Jinxed
When people say old but gold, they’re referring to this type of film. Jinxed is a classic casino movie that features the likes of Bette Midler and Ken Wahl. It brings forth the world of casinos and blackjack scams, all viewed through a comedic lens. The film has a funny side as it follows Willie Brodax, a blackjack dealer who always manages to lose to casino goer Harold Benson. Due to this, he soon becomes unemployable in the industry, endangering his well-being. To resolve the situation, casino manager Milt reckons we’re talking about a curse that can only be lifted if Brodax takes something from Benson. This is where the casinos’ funny story exists as Brodax sets his eyes on Benson’s mistress, Bonita Friml.
Blackjack
While it carries the name of the game itself, Blackjack is not a film you’ve heard of. This gem was made by John Evans way back in 1978. The story follows Damu King as Roy King in an attempt to rob mafia-led Las Vegas casinos moments after he left the jail. A casino boss, played by William Smith, under the name Andy Mayfield, is the only thing looking to stop them. This movie shows the essence of the time it was filmed, capturing the blackjack scene in Las Vegas during the late 70s, where we can see how the game was played and perceived back in the day in the back of a captivating robbery story.
Rounders
Yes, we know it, Rounders is not a blackjack movie. Its story revolves around poker. But, it is a casino film as much as any other. It managed to captivate the underground poker scene like no film before or after it and thus deserves a place on this list. With an assembly crew of Edward Norton, Matt Damon, John Turturro, and John Malkovich, you know this is a piece worth your time and investment. As we said, the film’s primary focus is poker. Still, it brings forth the adrenaline-fuelled atmosphere of casinos and the lifestyle of people practicing poker to earn money, making it one of the standout movies in this genre.
21
It is only suitable that the number one position belongs to the film titled 21. A movie called 21 is about blackjack more than any other could have been. Its director, Robert Luketic, took inspiration from real-life events when a group of MIT students formed a blackjack team. 21 follows this group who use their knowledge of mathematics to win at blackjack tables. The team is led by their professor, a genius devising this scheme, played by Kevin Spacey. The rest of the crew includes the likes of Kate Bosworth and Jim Sturgess. The stakes when playing blackjack are always high, but they go through the roof when card counting enters the room.
Conclusion
Blackjack is truly an inspirational game. As you can see, it inspired more than a few directors wanting to make their mark on the film industry. It is always good to see a casino-inspired story brought to big screens; all the titles on this list fit that description. What makes these films so good is more than just the blackjack game. Some of these films brought forth some great characters that are definitely remembered by both movie and blackjack fans today.
Some of the most notable characters in gambling-inspired films include Kevin Spacey as Micky Rosa, who performs as an eccentric MIT professor leading a group of his brilliant students on a gambling spree in Las Vegas. Next to him, we can position Mark Wahlberg as a literature professor falling deeper into his addiction with every minute spent on the big screen. In this group also falls Matt Damon as Mick McDermott from Rounders, a poker prodigy and a law student looking to balance his public persona and secret life as a gambler. This film also brought forth another legendary character, John Malkovich’s KGB, a Russian underground gambler who is the final villain in this film. This list wouldn’t have been possible without the honorary mention of Raymond and Charlie Babbitt in The Rain Man, who both have masterful performances for which Hoffman was awarded an Academy Award, as we already mentioned.
As you can see, the theme of blackjack and gambling brought out the best in many actors and directors. Blackjack is a fantastic pastime for many of us, but only if practiced responsibly. Having fun when playing blackjack is essential, as you will have fun watching these films. But it is also imperative to gamble within your means and with a strict bankroll, as addiction, as depicted in many of these films, is not a laughing matter.
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