Entertainment, nightlife, twinkling lights, action—that describes Las Vegas, a city where Hollywood focused its lenses. And sometimes, these movies don’t stray far from the truth. You can binge-watch films set in Las Vegas that are based on real-life events. Here are our favorites:
1. Casino (1995)
As its name suggests, Casino revolves around gambling, specifically gambling in Vegas in the 1970s. It’s a tale of ambition, greed, betrayal, and the consequences of crime. This crime drama is inspired by the life of a casino head called Frank Rosenthal, also known as ‘Lefty,‘ who ran gambling joints without licenses. Some of the details in the film reflect Rosenthal’s real life, such as his wife’s death and the TV show.
Robert De Niro(Sam ‘Ace‘ Rothstein) delivers a powerful performance playing Rosenthal as a handicapper who the Mafia tasks to run a casino. ‘Ace‘ is good with numbers and begins doubling the casino’s profits, though the Mafia skims the money and reports him to the authorities.
2. Hangover
The Hangover is a comedy set in Vegas and released in 2009. It was based on an actual event that happened to Tripp Vinson, a movie producer. He went missing from a bachelor party only to mysteriously wake up in a strip club with a hefty bill on his face.
What better way to make the larger-than-fiction story more fun than to make it into a film? The movie is about three friends, played by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis, who travel to Vegas for a bachelor party before their friend’s wedding.
They wake up the following morning with headaches and no recollection of what happened, and they can’t find their friend. The tiger in the bathroom and baby in the closet doesn’t help trigger their memories, so they try retracing their steps to find the friend in time for his wedding back in Los Angeles.
3. 21
Here’s a story worth getting popcorn for: a casino heist performed by brilliant college kids. 21 draws inspiration from the life of Jeff Ma, who was desperate for money, although his wealthy family could afford his MIT tuition.
The film follows the main character, Ben Campbell, a bright student headed for Harvard who hopes to get enough money to pay $300,000 worth of tuition. His professor recruits him and five other students to exploit casinos by counting cards.
They accumulated a lot of money, and it was thrilling. However, their excitement was short-lived when the casino security became suspicious.
4. Bugsy
Bugsy is a 1991 movie set in Vegas based on real-life events involving American mobster Benjamin ‘Bugsy’ Siegel and his love, Virginia Hill. This movie depicts two conflicting sides of Bugsy, easily distracted by romance and yet a loose canon known for violence and killing people.
The romantic depiction of Bugsy (the real Bugsy hated this name) sets the movie apart from what we know as Mafia movies. This juxtaposition received scrutiny, with critics claiming that the romanticized portrayal presented a sanitized version of history.
5. Elvis (2022)
This movie is set in Vegas and shows the life of legendary rock and roll icon Elvis Presley. Austin Butler portrays Presley, and the film is narrated from the perspective of Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), Presley’s controversial manager. The narrative spans Elvis’s childhood in Tupelo, Mississippi, through his rise to fame, struggles with fame, and ultimately his decline in the 1970s.
One scene showed how Elvis overlooked racial dynamics and played music associated with Blacks in a racially charged environment.
6. All Eyez on Me
All Eyez on Me focuses on Tupac Shakur’s early life, rise to stardom, imprisonment, and tragic death. The producers began filming in Atlanta but wrapped it up at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in Vegas. This location was marked by historical significance as it’s where Pac was killed in 1996.
Perhaps Tupac’s fans had higher expectations about the movie and felt it underrepresented the artist, judging by the fair share of negative reviews.
7. 48 Hours In Vegas
48 Hours in Vegas is the infamous story of how NBA star Dennis Rodman and his assistant went on a two-day adventure to Las Vegas in the middle of the NBA Finals 1998. Dennis, who is said to be eccentric, had asked his coach for a 48-hour break, and when granted, he went on an epic trip to Sin City.
The movie is still in pre-production. It’s unclear when it will be released.
Conclusion
Vegas’ vibrancy and entertainment make it a popular destination for movie producers. It’s the ideal backdrop whether the movie involves gambling, indulgence, crime, romance, or thrills.