What Is the Best Film About Counting Cards? Our Top Picks
We’ve all seen those movies where a seemingly unassuming player walks into a casino, sits down at the blackjack table, and wins big by counting cards. It usually makes for an intense and entertaining scene, with the audience rooting for the underdog over the casino.
As is often the case with Hollywood films, it’s not an accurate portrayal of actual card counting, but removing the Hollywood flair is not that far off.
With that said, here are the best films that feature blackjack card counting.
Rain Man
Rain Man is an excellent film. There’s no denying that. But if you’re looking for a movie about counting cards that accurately depicts the act, this isn’t it.
In the film, Dustin Hoffman plays a savant escorted to a casino by his brother, played by Tom Cruise. He discovers that he can count cards, and by the night’s end, he’s $80,000 up.
It’s every card counter’s dream, but it’s also not how card counting works.
Hoffman’s character studies the deck, finds the patterns, and cleans out the casino. All by himself. In reality, card counting often happens in teams. Multiple people do running counts and then find opportune moments to strike, at which point they signal to another team member, and that person places bets until the count is no longer favorable.
Also, as discussed in our card-counting online blackjack guide, a successful card-counting team can expect to make a few hundred bucks a night at most.
Interestingly, Hoffman’s character was based on an actual person. Kim Peek was as gifted as the film suggests and is said to have been like a human GPS who could also read both pages of a book simultaneously. However, he never took up card counting, as he deemed it unethical.
21 the Film
21 is often said to be the best movie about counting cards. It’s inspired by a real card-counting team from MIT and is based on the book Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. The movie stars Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, and Laurence Fishburne.
In 21, Spacey plays a professor who builds a card-counting team from gifted students and then takes them to Las Vegas to break the bank. The movie was generally well-received by critics and audiences, but it has also been criticized for deviating too far from the real story. Some argued that it added unnecessary melodrama to an already fascinating story. Still, the main critical consensus is that the cast of this card-counting movie was primarily white, whereas most of the actual team had Asian origins.
Still, if you’re looking for an accurate movie about blackjack, 21 is an excellent place to start.
The Card Counter
The Card Counter follows the story of William Tell, a low-stakes gambler who makes a living counting cards and winning small stakes. He’s a master at the card table and is encouraged to play higher stakes and take more significant risks. The film also includes poker scenes, with Tell making it to the final table of the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
You’ll encounter the usual blend of drama and action and plenty of stylish poker and blackjack scenes. It’s one of our favorite card-counting movies and offers a great take on casino gambling.
The film, which stars Tiffany Haddish and features an excellent performance by Oscar Isaac, was written and directed by Paul Schrader and earned him a “Best Screenplay” nomination at the Gotham Awards.
The Last Casino
The Last Casino is a 2004 film with a similar story to 21. The plot follows a university teacher who takes his students to the casino to win money by counting cards. Although it’s far from the best-known movie about counting cards, it is one of the highest-rated. It currently holds a 7/10 rating on IMDB.
It’s a TV movie and lacks the big budgets of some other films on this list, but if you’re looking for some accurate insights into card counting and the game of blackjack in general, it’s well worth a look.
Other Movies About Gambling and Card Counting
If the above films about card counting don’t sate your appetite, there are many more based around casino gaming, sports betting, baccarat card counting, high-stakes poker, and gambling in general.
Rounders is an excellent movie about poker that rarely takes liberties with the game. There is also an excellent poker scene in Casino Royal. For something a little different, check out Uncut Gems, an excellent Adam Sandler gambling movie where the comedian puts in one of his best performances to date.
There are some excellent scenes featuring casino slots in Ocean’s Thirteen. While we don’t know of any films about online casino real-money gambling, Molly’s Game offers some insights into modern casino gambling.
The Oscar-nominated Casino is another excellent option. It’s an oldie but a goodie. It currently holds an 8.2/10 rating on IMDB and features an all-star cast that includes Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone.
Summary: The Best Card Counting Movies
If you’re planning a trip to Las Vegas, the 21 movie is a great film to get you in the mood. However, as noted above and in our guide, “Does counting cards work?“, it’s not as straightforward or dramatic as these films would have you believe. So, keep those expectations in check, try not to get carried away, and remember to have fun!
Blackjack Common Queries
Is 21 based on a true story?
Yes, but only loosely.
How many gambler movies are there?
There aren’t as many as we would like, but a lot is out there.
What is the movie about counting cards on Netflix?
Netflix regularly changes its schedule, but 21 is the film that most people are referring to.
What is the movie about counting cards?
21 is the best known, but The Card Counter and Rain Man are good examples.
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