Gambling holds a powerful allure for many. Watching it unfold from a distance offers the same excitement — without the risk. Dive into the sharp minds and masterful plays of characters in some of the finest poker films.
Content
- Rounders
- The Card Counter
- Molly’s Game
- Casino Royale
- Mississippi Grind
- Sleight
- Lucky You
- The Gambler
- The Sting
- Pokerface
Rounders
IMDb: 7.3/10
1998, Drama
USA, R
Director: John Dahl
Top Cast: Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Malkovich
Rounders tells the story of Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), a sharp law student with a knack for high-stakes poker. Things take a turn when he loses his entire bankroll to a ruthless Russian mobster, Teddy KGB (John Malkovich), and swears off the game to focus on school. But walking away isn’t so easy.
When his old friend Worm (Edward Norton) gets out of prison owing money to some dangerous people, Mike’s pulled back into the game — risking everything in one last shot to save his friend and maybe himself.
You will like Rounders if you are into poker, risk-taking, action, intense, and performances of cinematography icons.
The Card Counter
IMDb: 6.2/10
2021, Crime, Drama, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Paul Schrader
Top Cast: Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, Willem Dafoe
In the Card Counter, Oscar Isaac plays William Tell, a former military interrogator who now drifts through low-stakes poker rooms, counting cards and keeping to himself. The ghosts of Abu Ghraib still trail him, and solitude is his way of coping.
But things shift when he crosses paths with Cirk (Tye Sheridan), a troubled young man looking to settle a score with someone from their shared past. William, seeing a reflection of his own younger self, tries to steer Cirk off the path of revenge, while quietly searching for a shot at redemption.
Molly’s Game
IMDb: 7.5/10
2017, Biography, Crime, Drama
USA, R
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Top Cast: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera
Picture a woman who rockets from near‑Olympic ski runs to velvet‑roped penthouse poker rooms — then straight into a federal courtroom. That’s Molly Bloom. Jessica Chastain channels her razor‑sharp charm as she seats Hollywood A‑listers beside Wall Street sharks and the occasional Russian heavy, raking in millions while keeping the whole circus spinning. When the FBI slams the door on her game, Molly’s last, risky bet is a lawyer with an iron spine — Idris Elba’s turn as the only man determined to see the human being beneath the tabloid myth.
From the moment she appears, Jessica Chastain is simply magnetic — you can’t look away. The film dances between the razor‑sharp tension of the courtroom and the intimate moments that chart Molly’s journey, all while inviting you behind poker’s velvet curtain to witness its precise mechanics and the moral tightropes players walk.
Casino Royale
IMDb: 8.0/10
2006, Action, Adventure, Thriller
UK/USA, PG-13
Director: Martin Campbell
Top Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench
Casino Royale reinvents James Bond with Daniel Craig’s raw and intense take on 007. In his first mission with a license to kill, Bond targets Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a terrorist banker whose survival hinges on a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro. As the game unfolds, Bond is drawn into a web of danger, deception, and a complicated bond with the mysterious Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). What begins as a mission turns personal, leaving Bond forever changed.
One of the strongest entries in the Bond series, this film blends classic espionage with a more stripped-down, emotionally charged approach.
Mississippi Grind
IMDb: 6.4/10
2015, Drama
USA, R
Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Top Cast: Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds, Sienna Miller
In Mississippi Grind, a struggling gambler, Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn), encounters the affable but unstable Curtis (Ryan Reynolds) while playing a game of poker. After the two embark on a drive down the Mississippi River in search of a fortune, their familiarity blossoms into a gentle romance. As they drive to a high-roller poker game in New Orleans, the road trip challenges them to face personal demons, piling debts, and the fragile distinction between fortune and self-destruction. This is a slow, character-driven road movie that explores the bittersweet reality of gambling addiction and human connection.
Sleight
IMDb: 5.9/10
2016, Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
USA, PG-13
Director: J.D. Dillard
Top Cast: Jacob Latimore, Seychelle Gabriel, Dulé Hill
Sleight follows Bo (Jacob Latimore), a street magician in Los Angeles who relies on more than illusions to get by — his magic is survival. Left to care for his younger sister after their parents’ death, he turns to dealing drugs to stay afloat. But when a ruthless local dealer pulls him in too deep, Bo is forced to rely on his quick thinking, sleight of hand, and homemade gadgets to protect what matters most and find a way out of the life closing in on him.
Part gritty character study, part sci-fi twist, this plays like a grounded superhero origin story with street-level stakes. Bo’s magic isn’t just for show; it’s his way of navigating a tough world.
Lucky You
IMDb: 5.9/10
2007, Drama, Romance, Sport
USA, PG-13
Director: Curtis Hanson
Top Cast: Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall
Lucky You stars Eric Bana as Huck Cheever, a skilled but emotionally guarded professional poker player who dreams of playing in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Beyond the game, his troubled father, L.C. Cheever (Robert Duvall), a poker icon with a difficult history, looms large over him.
As Huck faces intense high-pressure action and personal tragedy, he meets up with upcoming pop star Billie Offer (Drew Barrymore), who encourages him to face the cracks in his life and his game.
It’s not simply a poker movie, but a drama based on the tense father-son dynamic. While delivering a realistic, back-room insight into professional poker that will please purists, the emotional stakes create the actual tension.
The Gambler
IMDb: 6.0/10
2014, Crime, Drama, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Top Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, John Goodman
The Gambler features Mark Wahlberg as Jim Bennett, a literature professor whose life is consumed by a reckless addiction to high-stakes gambling. Born into privilege but drawn to self-destruction, Jim sinks further into debt with gangsters and loan sharks, all while clinging to a sharp, detached view of the world around him.
With the pressure closing in, he’s forced to choose between reaching for lifelines — offered by his wealthy mother and a concerned student — or surrendering fully to his downward spiral.
This remake of the 1974 classic shifts focus from the mechanics of gambling to themes of existential despair and self-destruction. Wahlberg steps outside his usual roles to portray a troubled, sharply drawn anti-hero.
The Sting
IMDb: 8.3/10
1973, Comedy, Crime, Drama
USA, PG
Director: George Roy Hill
Top Cast: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw
The Sting is a classic con game set against the backdrop of 1930s Chicago. When his partner is killed, small-time hustler Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) joins forces with seasoned swindler Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to exact revenge on a ruthless crime boss (Robert Shaw). What unfolds is a slick, intricately staged scheme full of false fronts, shifting identities, and carefully orchestrated misdirection.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest heist films ever made, this Oscar-winning classic (including Best Picture) blends charm, sharp plotting, and standout performances. Newman and Redford share effortless chemistry, while Scott Joplin’s ragtime score gives the film its unforgettable rhythm and flair.
Poker Face
IMDb: 4.6/10
2022, Thriller
Australia, USA, R
Director: Russell Crowe
Top Cast: Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth, RZA
Poker Face centers on Jake Foley (Russell Crowe), a billionaire tech mogul and seasoned poker player who hosts a private game for his childhood friends at his extravagant estate. What begins as a friendly reunion slowly unravels into a tense psychological showdown, where buried secrets surface and a heist begins to take shape.
Chaos begins when intruders break in, turning Jake’s scheme to extract confessions into a desperate struggle to stay alive. The film weaves together themes of betrayal, shifting morals, and the volatile nature of people under pressure.
Blending psychological thriller with crime drama, this film carries an experimental edge. Directed by Russell Crowe, it delves into themes of regret, legacy, and the fragile trust that lingers between longtime friends.
