Gambling movies often provide viewers an exciting storyline that appeals to both casino enthusiasts and movie fans who have never played a casino game. And Canadians who like to visit gambling sites like the ones here would be proud to know that some of these wonderful movies were produced in Canada.
In this article, we take a look at some of the best gambling movies made in Canada. Here is our top 5 list:
1. Lucky Girl
Lucky Girl, also known as My Daughter’s Secret Life, is a 2001 film about a girl named Kaitlyn who gradually gets hooked on gambling. We can sense her ambition to always be correct from the beginning of the film, as well as her delight when she wins a life-changing prize thanks to her magic-wand lottery ticket.
When she attempts to gather money for a vacation to Amsterdam with her pals, she becomes more involved in gambling. Kaitlyn begins to wager on sports more regularly, which leads to a string of poor mistakes. The film starred Elisha Cuthbert and Sherry Miller, and was directed by John Fawcett.
2. Cold Deck
“Cold Deck” is among the best 5 gambling movies and most recent film on our list, having been released in 2015. The plot of the film, directed by Zack Bernbaum, follows the life of Bobby, a poker player
Bobby, an addicted gambler, lives with Audrey, his ill mother, who detests his gambling habit because gambling caused his father’s downfall. Bobby is dating Kim, a waitress at Chips’ gaming establishment, where he spends most of his time playing poker.
As Audrey’s bills mount and Bobby’s losing streak continues, Bobby’s buddy Ben offers that Bobby participates in a high-stakes poker tournament that he has heard about and split the earnings with Audrey. They steal a car to collect enough money for the buy-in, convinced that the bankers will be easy prey.
Bobby then steals his mother’s life savings to meet the high-stake of the poker game. We ten see him develop a strong connection with a violent character named Turk. This film is an emotional rollercoaster that will be ideal for a relaxing movie night at home.
3. Owning Mahowny
Those who enjoy visiting the greatest real money casinos in Canada will be enthralled by Owning Mahowny, a first-rate Canadian gambling film released in 2003
When you take away all the glamor and glamour of gambling and concentrate on the crushing, stifling addiction, you get Owning Mahowny. This film depicts the real tale of a Canadian bank manager (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) who stole money from his bank and used it to make a series of risky bets in Atlantic City.
Hoffman is brilliant in the role, enigmatic and pathetic in equal measure, a man who is helpless to control himself but does his best to hold on for as long as he can.
The film is so tuned in to Hoffman’s wavelength that it’s almost too far away from the audience: his Mahowny is so engrossed in his thoughts that we can’t get in. However, this is arguably the closest a film can come to capturing the fear of having a gambling addiction.
This is a real tale of a bank worker who stole over $10 million from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to fund his gambling addiction.
4. The Last Casino
If you’re interested in the history of gambling and want to see a bit off-the-beaten-path film that may have escaped your notice up until this point, go no further than The Last Casino. This film is a 2004 drama with humorous parts that digs deep into the world of gambling and, in particular, Blackjack.
The tale of the MIT Blackjack Team is widely referenced in The Last Casino. Bill Kaplan couched the MIT Blackjack Team, which consisted of a group of students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Kaplan postponed his admission to Harvard University in the hopes of developing a mathematical model that would help him win at blackjack
This is a film devoted to blackjack fans, akin to the Hollywood film ’21.’ It is the story of a professor who, despite being barred from casinos in Ontario and Quebec, taught three students how to count cards to help him transform $1000 into $35,000 and address his financial issues over nine months.
5. Dead Heat – A 2002 Crime Comedy Drama Film
Albert Paul ‘Pally’ LaMarr (Kiefer Sutherland) is a 35-year-old police officer in Boston who has recently had a heart attack while confronting a robber, causing him to retire. His career loss left him with a hole that led him to desperation and made him consider suicide.
Pally’s half-brother Ray LaMarr (Anthony LaPaglia) is summoned by his wife Charlotte LaMarr (Radha Mitchell) to visit him in the hopes of cheering him up. Ray is a small-time thief who persuades Pally to invest in a sure-bet long-shot racing horse.
Ray’s newly discovered jockey Tony LaRoche (Lothaire Bluteau) is a gambling addict who is in debt to a Mob leader Frank Finnegan, and Pally finds himself in over his head (Daniel Benzali).
By association, Ray and Pally become culpable, and Tony’s obligation is now theirs. Pally is entangled in a web of murder, mobsters, and failed romances. The stakes of their new horse succeeding have just skyrocketed.
Conclusion
There is a plethora of fantastic classic gambling films that you can explore. You’ve probably been seeking the greatest casino movies to watch with your gambling buddies. The film reviewed above offers the much-needed thrill, entertainment, and lessons to both gambling and movie fans.