Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

AboveDeepBuggy Some things I liked some I did not.

Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

TheBlueHairedLawyer Fans of films like 'Requiem for a Dream' will love this one. The Last Casino paints a somewhat unrealistic dream that everyone who's ever been through college has had. Like those dreams, we get a glamorized view of the world of gambling as seen through the eyes of three math students struggling to get by with their tuition payments and studies. Meanwhile we have our antagonist, Professor Barnes, who is secretly blowing tons of money at the local racetrack, and a shady investor, the usurer by the name of Mr. Orr. This wonderful and complex mix of characters are coupled with sleek soundtrack and stunning visuals that come alive right on the screen.I love how each character has their flaws, but there's no real "bad guy", and they all have a side that you'd never expect, from George being pretty badass despite his chubby computer geek appearance, to Mr. Orr actually having no intention of hurting the three kids, instead finding them more amusing than anything else (his hairstyle is pretty amusing too, but that's another story). I was pretty disgusted with Barnes, who scams the investor and the kids out of thousands of dollars and has a serious addiction problem, but even he's not all bad, and he has his demons weighing him down. There's even a little romance towards the end, and though I don't usually like sappy romantic scenes, Katharine Isabelle and Albert Chung bring their roles to life and make their characters feel real.The film gets dark and gritty very fast, diving into the underworld of Canadian gaming, but its optimistic, hopeful ending is the tour de force that really seals the deal. The Last Casino has great acting, excellent cinematography and a compelling plot, and it's one you'll never forget.

jonathanruano Before "21" came along, there was Pierre Gill's "The Last Casino," which is about Professor Barnes (played very well by Charles Martin Smith) creating his own card counting team to win a huge fortune in Canada's major casinos -- and, oh yes, Barnes also needs the money to pay off his booky Mr. Orr who has his own peculiar way of ensuring the prompt repayment of outstanding debts. "The Last Casino" has half the glitz and thrills of "21"; it even had to do without Kevin Spacey, Lawrence Fishburne and Rihanna's single "Shut up and drive." Yet, it was so much better and far more original than "21" ever was. Many factors contribute to making this under-appreciated film a jewel. To begin with, you can tell the writer Steven Westren put a lot of thought into his screenplay. He created original characters, including the ones that only had small parts. He put the protagonists -- essentially the team of card counters, Elyse (Katherine Isabelle), Scott (Kris Lemche) and George (Albert Chung) -- in the kinds of situations you (or I) would never expect in a film like this. But most importantly, Pierre Gill and Steven Westren succeeded in filling the scenes at the gambling table with tension and thereby conjured up the feelings and impulses of the people who were prepared to put tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table on a single bet. I also appreciated the surprise at the end of the film, which is so cleverly done that it may leave many of the viewers scratching their heads.The other factor that makes this film great are the performances. Charles Martin Smith does a great job as the professor whose deep in debt, because his gambling via card counting finally got the best of him. Katherine Isabelle puts in a good performance as Elyse, as does Kris Lemche and Albert Chung as her companions so that, by the end, we (as an audience) are able to sympathize with all of them. But the one person who almost steals the show in this movie is Julian Richings whose performance as Mr. Orr must go down in the history books as one of the best (if not the best) villain roles in recent times.

Robert W. Alright I admit...I have been known to poke fun at "uniquely" Canadian films. This seems to mean that it has to include Beer, Hockey, horrible East Coast accents, boats of some kind, winter, and Native Americans. For the first time EVER I come across an ACTUALLY unique Canadian film, that doesn't force feed the world stereotypes by our own people.The Last Casino is the story of a gambling addicted card counting University Professor who works for professionals who have been bankrolling him up until his latest Casino catches on to him as a professional and bars him for life. His financial support pulls out and wants their bankroll back but unfortunately Professor Doug Barnes has blown the bankroll on his own obsession...horse racing. Barnes encourages his financiers to give him another shot by training a team of top University Math Students, genius' to count cards and work together to triple the profit. They give him some time to do such. Barnes begins to assemble the best possible team he can find. Elyse, a photographic memory, outspoken, independent and smart. Scott a brilliant Math student who is as smooth as he is brilliant and finally George a nervous, shy but astounding analytical mind. Barnes teaches them everything they need to do from the counting to the disguises and sends them out promising them a 50% split between them which would make them rich. The plan is foolproof until the team starts to slip and Barnes gambling addiction gets worse. When it comes down to it, Barnes will try to double cross the team while paying back his financiers but are they too smart for him?? A truly dark comedy with a unique and talented cast. There were some familiar faces for good measure in the necessary character roles. The freakishly frightening looking Julian Richings as the guy with all the cash and Charles Martin Smith as the pitiful but brilliant Professor Barnes. The kids are the real shining point though. The strangely seductive Katharine Isabelle in a very outspoken role, a strong female lead. Kris Lemche as the cocky Scott who adds a certain amount of male hunk to the film and the comically funny, and yet tragically entertaining George is played by Albert Chung. The three of them, although very different characters play off each other and have a great chemistry as a team. Their constant fights and squabbles show of their differences in character but in the end working together as a team works best. They need each other and the three of them are more loners than they care to admit in different ways. The Last Casino takes you into a very dark, broody, yet flashy world of cards and gambling with an overtone that makes it suspenseful and interesting. It's definitely a good watch for anyone looking for something different and something Canadian with actual Brains for once. 7.5/10

Beautiful_Disaster Usually, Canada is known for it's movies with heart and feeling, but lacking in entertainment. Now that many companies are coming up north to film, it seems Canada is making some great movies on their own with The Last Casino.The premise of the movie is provocative, and the writing is genius. The Last Casino was both entertaining and credible. There are specifics to this movie, where it is apparent that a lot of thought and effort was put into the plot.I loved the suspense and closeness that was created through the types of shots the director used.I suggest that everyone try to see this movie (it not widely available), and as Canadians we should be proud this is one of our products.