His Ace is friendly, humorous and at times almost sweet, a veritable contrast to the brutal thugs he has portrayed for Scorsese in the past. In an overplayed scene where Nicky stabs someone to death with a pen, we aren’t insulted as much by the unwarranted blood as we are by Pesci’s – and Scorsese’s – attempt to pull the same trick twice, Academy Award-winning or not.īut if Pesci is treading water, De Niro is breaking new ground. Nicky is a deeply disturbing character, but, like everything else in film, the impact isn’t as great the second time around. A violent hothead who kills with unabashed glee, Nicky is a carbon copy of Pesci’s role in Goodfellas, where his performance won an Academy Award. As played by Joe Pesci, the character of Nicky is the only instance where Scorsese gets stuck in the mud.

Along to take care of the dirty work is Nicky Santoro, Ace’s short – and short-tempered – friend. Robert De Niro is Sam “Ace” Rothstein, a sure bet in the gambling business who is sent by the Midwest mafia to run the Tangiers casino and hotel. Scorsese has brought along his usual filmmaking team, both behind-the-scenes and on-screen. If Casino does seem familiar, it isn’t just because of its ties to the mob.

The truth lies somewhere in the middle, for though the movie may not be a masterpiece, to write it off as more of the same would be a miscalculation, as well. Though Scorsese has described Casino as an epic film about America, many critics have accused him of covering familiar ground.

In Casino, Scorsese surveys Las Vegas and its mob connections during the 1970s.

Through his camera, these mobsters aren’t public enemies but just regular guys for whom crime is a way of life. What is it about Martin Scorsese’s wiseguys that so fascinates us? Film after film, Scorsese has explored the tragic and violent world of organized crime with an honest, respectful eye.

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