Casino

Ever re-visit an old classic and say "wow" all over again? This reviewer had insomnia the other night, so off to TV land he went to have some awful film bring on much-needed sleep! The result? Failure! I ended up watching Casino.

Robert DeNiro plays the casino owner who, unlike his childhood buddy (Joe Pesci), is only mildly gangster-ish. He came up the hard way, so he's dead set on being successful. The pun is intended. Folks seem to get killed because of the mafia types back east whom DeNiro knows. But somehow, it's never our boy who does the evil work. The dirty stuff is carried out by the really violent friend, played by Joe Pesci.

Now add to this delightful mix of good-fellas the beautiful Sharon Stone who, as the Femme Fatale, digs her claws into DeNiro, then into his best friend Pesci. The result? The viewer can only imagine! Let's simply say our gangster types are not big on sharing their lady friends!

What I most enjoyed about the film other than the fine acting and plot was the setting. We are swept out of our seats into the casino world, where flying dice and flipped cards determine lives. Don Rickles, Mr. Nice Guy, does a fantastic job of adding to the casino flavor with his dour look and cheap suits.

The film is quite long, almost three hours, but it is worth every minute. Don't wait for a sleepless night to view this fine film.