The 8 best poker and casino movies of all time
8. The Grand (2007)
"The Grand" is the perfect comedy for anyone who likes poker and enjoys a laugh. It focuses on Jack Faro (Woody Harrelson) and the "Grand Championship of Poker" tournament.
What's special about the movie: Director, Zak Penn, only wrote a short script and largely left the actors to improvise. The scenes in the poker tournament were played for real and didn't follow a script and ultimately even changed the end of the movie, which was different from the original script.
7. California Split (1974)
Poker and gambling combined – that is California Split, one of the first movies to deal intensively with the life of a player. Bill and Charlie (George Segal and Elliot Gould) are falsely accused of fraud at the poker table. This is followed by numerous gambling and drinking adventures. There are wins and losses and even a game with a real poker legend takes place.
Pure thrills, the realistic portrayal of the life of players and lots of good poker scenes make California Split a real classic poker film.
6. All In: The Poker Movie (2009)
"All In: The Poker Movie" offers a realistic view of the explosive growth of poker playing in the 2000s and shows why poker embodies the American dream for many players. The movie offers interviews with actors and gamblers, as well as many interesting facts.
In short: a successful documentary about the modern history of poker.
5. James Bond 007: Casino Royale (2006)
Bond movies are always fun, aren't they? Armed with a licence to kill, James Bond (Daniel Craig) has to defeat a private banker of terrorists with high stakes. Bond receives millions to play with, with the aim of beating the crooks at the card table in Casino Royale in Montenegro. It's primarily a typical Bond action movie, in which there is no shortage of excitement.
The poker scenes are amusing to watch, although they are not always necessarily realistic – but who would expect that from a Bond movie?
4. Maverick (1994)
Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and James Garner: These Hollywood greats are delightful in the comedy "Maverick". Maverick hopes to be able to take part in a poker tournament, but needs some money for it. He and his companions resort to rather questionable methods to earn the required money.
The humorous portrayal of the life of a card player and swindler from the wild west makes "Maverick" one of the most popular poker movies of all time.
3. The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Another classic poker film with acting legends Steve McQueen and Ann-Margaret, which garnered critical acclaim. Eric "the Kid" Stoner (McQueen) is working very hard on his skills at the poker table and is playing higher and higher limits in doing so. Soon he tries to prove himself against a longstanding master of the game.
A poker movie that is not exclusively made for poker fans, but is also a psychological movie masterpiece, which has found the perfect casting for even the smaller roles.
2. Molly’s Game (2017)
Without question, one of the best poker movies of all time: Based on the bestseller of the same name by Molly Bloom, Molly's Game offers excitement for underground and celebrity poker fans. Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) gives up her law studies, moves to Los Angeles and holds some of the most exclusive high-stakes poker games in L.A. In addition to Hollywood celebrities, there are also professional players, the Russian mafia, gangsters, rich business people and many more.
While money flows in abundance, the games soon attract the attention of the FBI. It's not long before there's also an arrest. But which game is Molly Bloom really playing?
1. Rounders (1998)
If there is one absolute must-see on this list, then it's "Rounders". Love, drama, poker – the poker classic simply has it all, and is hard to beat for excitement. Rounders is one of the first movies that dealt with the World Series of Poker and offers a one-off insight into the underground poker scene.
Not only the cast is outstanding, but also the attention to detail and the realistic portrayal of poker. The movie's protagonist is the young, talented poker player, Mike, in New York City, but after the loss of his bankroll and due to his studies and his relationship, he puts his gambling career on ice. However, after his good friend, Worm (Ed Norton), ends up in serious money problems, Mike (Matt Damon) has to place high bets to bail him out and pay back high debts with a loan shark. In doing so, he is putting his life on the line more than once...