Like GoodFellas, Casino is distinguished by Scorsese's inimitable artistry, attention to detail, breathtaking visuals, and peerless grasp of Hollywood moviemaking, as well as top-notch performances from Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. Director Martin Scorsese's epic chronicle of a Las Vegas gambling establishment, its underworld ties, and how the heady mix of money, power, and sex destroys the lives of a trio of shady characters captivates from the opening frames and keeps us largely riveted over the course of its hefty three-hour running time. Without a doubt, few mob films, if any, can top GoodFellas, and let's be real, Casino doesn't. Casino is often referred to as a pale imitation of and inferior stepsister to GoodFellas, and while the two films do share many of the same artistic and thematic elements, such an estimation is grossly unfair.
