5 Greatest Blackjack Movies

Films are one of Aussie’s favourite forms of entertainment here on planet Earth! After landing here on his epic voyage from his extraterrestrial home, Aussie quickly became acquainted with this glorious art form of ours: its narratives, its enticing visuals, its famous actors and actresses, its thrilling plots, its Hollywood glamour, and much more. Sadly, movie theatres no longer exist on his home planet. Over there, movies were actually living beings made up of magical alien cells; but they were all destroyed after a deadly virus outbreak! It has been many years since Aussie last saw one with Space Cat and Zuzu. Luckily, this little space gang found out about movies on Earth and even managed to find those that focus on their favourite activity — gambling!

Aussie snatched up every casino-themed movie he could find, but the ones that stuck out the most were ones about blackjack! This card game incorporates some high-octane action and a fair bit of mystery, which makes it a really good topic for a movie. Just think about all the card-counting, playing against the casino, the beautiful staff members, and the classy atmosphere; it’s clear to see that films about this game are more than capable of keeping you on the edge of your seat and offer you an unforgettable ride. And Aussie is just really fascinated with all these blackjack films; and he’s especially interested in the way this card game is actually portrayed on screen!

So what are some of the best movies about blackjack, according to our little space gang? Take a gander below to find out!

Top Blackjack Movies

Blackjack is clearly not a simple game. However, there are many movies about it, because it is relatively easy to film the action. The camera only needs to focus on the player and the dealer; unlike poker, where you’d actually have to shoot the equivalent of a Western standoff and then portray it realistically on screen. Not even Tarantino can manage to pull that one off! But you know the best thing of all? Some blackjack movies have actually been inspired by true stories!

So check out this list of definitive movies about blackjack! After that, we’ll cover some famous blackjack scenes and Easter eggs you might have missed in great movies which aren’t necessarily based on gambling.

5. Croupier

One of Clive Owen’s first roles was the lead in 1999s “Croupiers.” This neo-noir movie offers a unique and rarely witnessed window into the casino world. The movie’s protagonist, Jack, is an unsuccessful writer who accepts a side job as a blackjack dealer.

This movie reveals what happens in an exclusive casino with busy blackjack games, from the rarely encountered perspective of the dealer himself! It explores the relationships between players, cheating croupiers, and other behind-the-scenes events in one particular gambling establishment. Manfred gets sucked into the casino world quickly, and then the plot finally takes off when a gambler named Jani, played by Alexandra Kingston, convinces Jack to help her rob the casino. The end features an awesome twist that you’d never have anticipated!

Overall, “Croupier” is critically acclaimed; and it’s known as the movie that effectively established Owen’s film career, due to his fantastic portrayal of a blackjack dealer.

4. Rain Man

This movie is undoubtedly among the most popular of the late 1980s, and it earned four Academy Awards to prove it! It’s perhaps the most famous movie in this list. That’s most likely due to the incredible on-screen chemistry between brothers Ray and Charlie. It’s surely among the best performances Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise have ever done, and that’s saying something! However, what starts off as a short road trip turns into a tough adventure, as the brothers are forced to confront the difficult task of paying off Charlie’s $80k debt…

As Charlie finds out that his autistic brother is a secret genius, who is able to mentally calculate hundreds of numbers instantaneously, he decides to exploit those abilities. Together, the two go to Vegas, and Charlie instructs Ray to count cards at the blackjack tables. Ray’s mental abilities prove to be extremely successful, and the pair win quite a lot of money. However, their success does not last forever…

3. 21

Robert Luketic’s “21” is a gripping drama, inspired by famous real-life events involving the MIT Blackjack Team. Back in the 1980s, this was a team of MIT students and mathematics masterminds who used covert signalling and card counting to beat the casinos while playing blackjack.

In 2008’s “21,” Jim Sturgess plays Ben, the protagonist, who impresses Micky Rosa, a professor played by Kevin Spacey. Ben then joins the professor’s elusive blackjack team and learns all about gaining the edge in blackjack. The team visits Las Vegas casinos many times, and Ben’s card counting proficiency turns him into a full-on high roller! However, some tensions emerge within the team. Then, the story takes an exciting twist when the casino security learns about the group’s activities.

Overall, “21” may be the most popular blackjack movie in history; well, it was certainly a hit at the box office! However, if you’re looking for an accurate portrayal of card counting, it’s best to look elsewhere. Not least because many critics and real blackjack players have noted that the skills shown in the movie are way too simplified, and that they look almost too easy. Ouch!

2. The Last Casino

This Canadian movie is based on the same story as “21”, but director Pierre Gill aimed to offer a slightly different interpretation. It’s a much faster take on the story, with elements of speed used to create a vivid portrayal of the kind of excitement, tension, and drama that the MIT card counters are enduring throughout the movie. Also, the plot is incredibly engaging, and many critics have noted that it emphasises greed, naivety and even arrogance much more effectively compared to “21.” All in all, “The Last Casino” is a much darker take on the legendary MIT card-counting tory.

1. Jinxed

Lastly, here’s an unlikely comedy to end this list of best blackjack movies on a high note! It’s a cheery 80’s movie, with Bette Midler portraying the wife of a card hustler; the latter is played by Rip Torn.

The couple tails a jinxed blackjack dealer named Willie (Ken Wahl) around the U.S. It turns out that Harold (Torn) knows that the dealer is jinxed, and he can never lose against Willie. This results in the dealer being fired from a whole string of Vegas casinos. The action finally takes off in earnest when Willie finally learns what he needs to do in order to break the curse. This requires him to win something of Harold’s; and so, the dealer decides to pursue the old gambler’s wife!

Famous Blackjack Scenes in Movies

Lastly, here are some of the most memorable and wildest BJ scenes found in great movies whose stories do not actually revolve around the card game itself.

3. License to Kill

Casino imagery and games like baccarat or poker are a fairly frequent fixture of Bond movies; but do you by any chance remember the rare blackjack scene in 1989’s “Licence to Kill?”

It’s quite unusual, in fact, because this game is not even 007’s favourite! Bond, who is played by Timothy Dalton in this movie, decides to challenge the main villain and some owners of the Casino de Isthmus to a blackjack game. The scene also sticks out due because of its set design and unique shots, which are also found throughout the movie. “Licence to Kill” was the 16th title in the series, as well as the final movie starring Dalton as the charming yet deadly MI6 agent.

2. Austin Powers

This one is short and sweet, but it’s surely among the funniest blackjack scenes around! This scene from 1997’s first Austin Powers film parodies James Bond and many other spy movies. It’s perhaps most famous for Mike Myers’ hilarious “I also like to live dangerously” remark. Powers tracks down the evil Number Two (Robert Wagner), who leads him to enter a casino. He arrives at the blackjack table wearing his signature red velvet suit, and then joins the 10k-minimum-bet table, in order to pit his wits against Dr Evil’s vicious agent. Number Two, however, has an X-ray in his eye-patch that allows him to analyse the cards and win the game. And, guess what? As an added Easter egg, the croupier is none other than Larry Thomas, who played the iconic Soup Nazi character on Seinfeld! The scene doesn’t end well for Powers, but it is sure to give you a real laugh!

1. The Hangover

If there’s one thing one can learn from 2009’s “The Hangover,” it’s that you should never visit Vegas while intoxicated. Oh, and by the way… Just in case you were wondering, you should probably never steal a tiger, sedate it, and drive off with it in your trunk either! Although of course, if you’ve already seen this movie, then you know probably know how that one ends anyway! Nevertheless, “The Hangover” has an awesome blackjack scene, where which the characters do their best to try and outsmart the casino. They do a nifty little bit of count carding, in their efforts to win back an Asian gangster’s money that they previously lost. Alan (Zach Galifianakis), Jade (Heather Graham ), and Stu (Ed Helms) then manage to win $82,400. The hectic bachelor party doesn’t end there though, and the movie takes an even crazier twist.

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list every bit as much as Aussie and his space gang have enjoyed watching all these blackjack movies!

Ultimately, blackjack is not this “incredibly easy game” that the movies portray it to be. Let’s not forget that in all, honestly, there’s not really a lot you can learn from the movies if you really wish to learn how to play blackjack; even so, these films do offer you tons of exciting entertainment! So just watch these films from our list, and hopefully they’ll motivate you to try some exciting online blackjack games! Good luck!

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