Poker has been around and played by people since God knows when. It has long been a captivating subject for filmmakers due to the level and extent of suspense and excitement it offers. From the tense poker face-offs in Casino Royale, where Daniel Craig's Bond outmaneuvers Le Chiffre in a high-stakes poker game, to the intense underground poker matches in Rounders, where Edward Norton and Matt Damon's characters push the limits of their skill and luck, the most successful Hollywood movies involve an element of poker and casino. 

The suspension of bluffs, the thrill of showdowns, and the life-changing rewards have made poker a perfect recipe for cinematic drama that successfully captivated audiences for hours.

The number of poker movies to watch is a long list. However, in this article, I will give you my playlist of the best poker movies that have left an indelible mark on the silver screen and are among the top poker movies on Netflix. 

7. Poker Face: A Game of Secrets and Betrayal

My favorite quote: “But life is just a game, right? It’s all in how you read and respond to your opponents. 

You watch how they bet, how much they bet, everything they do informs you more.” 

 

Russell Crowe's directorial debut, Poker Face, is a gripping thriller that unfolds in a secluded mansion filled with tension and deceit. 

The movie's main theme is high-stakes, No-Limit Texas Hold 'em poker, but it actually uses the game as a metaphor to show that living your life is like playing at a high-stakes poker table.  

The film is a narrative about a tech millionaire, Jake Foley, a poker player by nature who loves to play any kind of poker. He actually became a millionaire by developing a very sophisticated software based on rules of poker. Jake(Russell Crowe) invites his best friends to his home for a moment of truth to play a high-stakes Texas Hold 'em. But things get awry as a killer thief invades Jake's home. 

When I first watched the movie, it felt like a masterclass in suspense, bluff, and revenge! Poker Face blends psychological thriller and action-packed sequences that create a thrilling cinematic experience. 

 

Director

Release Year

Rotten Tomato Rating

IMDB Rating

My Rating 

Russell Crowe

2022

9%

5.2/10

7.5/10

6. The Card Counter: A High-Stakes Game of Redemption

My favorite quote: “The body remembers, it stores it all!”

 

In the dimly lit casinos of Las Vegas, a mysterious figure lurks, a man haunted by the demons of his past. William Tell, played by Oscar Issac, is an ex-military interrogator who was involved in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, now turned professional gambler seeking revenge on an enemy from his past. He learns how to count cards during his eight-year sentence in USDB prison. I believe Oscar Isaac carried this movie, an incredible actor and a brilliant performance!

His meticulously calculated life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters Cirk, a troubled young boy consumed by a thirst for revenge against those responsible for the torture techniques used at Abu Ghraib. William takes Cirk under his wing, guiding him through the world of high-stakes gambling while attempting to steer him away from a path of violence and revenge. 

The film masterfully blends suspenseful poker scenes with poignant character studies, exploring themes of trauma, redemption, and the blurred lines between right and wrong.

 

Director

Release Year

Rotten Tomato Rating

IMDB Rating

My Rating 

Paul Schrader

2021

88%

6.2/10

8.3/10

5. Uncut Gems: A Heart-Pounding Ride of Anxiety and Greed

My favorite quote: “This is my f*k way! This is how I win!”

 

Adam Sandler delivers a career-defining performance in the Safdie brothers’ chaotic masterpiece, Uncut Gems. This nerve-wracking thriller follows Howard Ratner, a charismatic but morally bankrupt New York City jeweler who’s always one step ahead of disaster.

Adam Sandler is primarily known for his comedy roles. In this dark comedy movie, he plays Howard Ratner, a successful charismatic gems dealer whose gambling addiction puts him and his family into serious trouble. The narrative is about Ratner risking everything by placing a series of high-stakes bets in the hope of winning and paying his thousands of dollars in debt. This film is about gambling addiction's real consequences and how it ruins people's lives. Watch the movie to find out why “Everything I do is not going right”!

Uncut Gems is a wild, unpredictable ride that will leave you breathless. It’s a film that’s exhilarating, exhausting, funny, and a testament to the power of cinema to evoke intense emotions. 

Directors

Release Year

Rotten Tomato Rating

IMDB Rating

My Rating 

Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

2019

91%

7.4/10

8.6/10

4. Molly’s Game: A Royal Flush of Drama

My favorite quote: “ He was running the odds. In other words, he was playing poker and the others were gambling, and he won! 

 

Molly's Game is a biographical drama film based on the memoir of Molly Bloom, a former Olympic-class skier turned high-stakes poker game organizer, played by Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain. Molly is a beautiful, young, Olympic-class skier who became an FBI target. After a career-ending injury, Molly moves to Los Angeles and organizes high-stakes poker games.  

Her intelligence, breathtaking charisma, and meticulous attention to detail quickly elevate her games to the most exclusive in the city. Molly played and won the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested by FBI agents. She became an FBI target because of the underground poker empire she created for celebrities. While watching the movie, you will see lots of poker chips, beautiful women, and a loooot of money! Let's not spoil it, watch the movie today if you have not watched it yet.

 

Director

Release Year

Rotten Tomato Rating

IMDB Rating

My Rating 

Aaron Sorkin

2017

82%

7.4/10

8.5/10

3. The Gambler: A Gambler's Descent into Darkness

My favorite sene: “All on Black!

 

The Gambler is a psychological drama delving into the destructive power of addiction. The film narrates the life of a literature professor, Jim Bennett, who is secretly a compulsive gambler. His life spirals out of control as he becomes increasingly obsessed with high-stakes poker games.

One of the most iconic scenes in the film is when Jim puts thousands of dollars into a single color, Black, in a Roulette game. You must have seen this scene as a meme circulating on Instagram pages dedicated to gambling content. 

The Gambler is a must-watch for all gambling enthusiasts because it offers a raw and unflinching portrayal of the dark side of problem gambling. The film explores the psychological and emotional toll that compulsive and uncontrolled gambling can take on individuals and their loved ones. 

 

Director

Release Year

Rotten Tomato Rating

IMDB Rating

My Rating 

Rupert Wyatt

2015

43%

6/10

7.7/10

2. The Casino Royale: Bond, James Bond... and Poker

Well, I cannot decide which scene or quote is my favorite to mention here! Casino Royale is literally one of the most successful and valuable Hollywood productions, combining psychology, crime, poker, casino, and more!

It is a thrilling spy film that marks Daniel Craig's debut as James Bond. Casino and poker are inseparable elements of James Bond movies. Casino Royale is about James Bond's(Daniel Craig) first mission as 007 agent. His mission is to beat a private banker funding terrorists in a high-stakes poker game at Casino Royale, Montenegro. The movie won 1 BAFTA Award, 27 wins, and a total of 44 nominations.

While the film is packed with action and suspense, one of its most memorable sequences involves a high-stakes poker game. In this iconic scene, Bond faces off against Le Chiffre, a villainous banker who funds terrorist organizations. The game is a brutal test of intelligence, skill, and nerves. As the stakes rise, so does the tension, creating a genuinely gripping cinematic experience.

 

Director

Release Year

Rotten Tomato Rating

IMDB Rating

My Rating 

Martin Campbell

2006

94%

8/10

9.5/10

1. Casino: A Vegas Nightmare

My favorite quote: “Listen to me very carefully. There are three ways of doing things around here: the right way, the wrong way, and the way that *I* do it. You understand?”

 

You cannot call yourself a casino fan without watching one of the classic movies about casinos, which features the best poker scenes, slot jackpots, and more.  

Casino is a gritty classic American crime epic movie involving greed, deception, money, power, and murder. It is the narrative of two best friends, a mafia enforcer(Sam) and a casino executive(Nicky), who compete against each other over a gambling empire and a love story. The legendary Robert De Niro plays Sam 'Ace' Rothstein, another unforgettable role he played. The movie was nominated for 1 Oscar Award, four wins, and a total of 11 nominations.

The story is actually true, and Sam's character is inspired by the true story of Frank Rosenthal, also known as "Lefty," who ran the Stardust, Fremont, Marina, and Hacienda casinos in Las Vegas for the Chicago Outfit from 1968 until 1981. 

The film explores the corrupt and often brutal world of organized crime, the allure of wealth and power, and the devastating consequences of unchecked ambition. Through its intense characters, stunning visuals, and gripping narrative, Casino offers a captivating and cautionary tale about the price of success in the high-stakes world of Las Vegas.

 

Director

Release Year

Rotten Tomato Rating

IMDB Rating

My Rating 

Martin Scorsese

1995

79%

8.2/10

9.8/10

Last Few Words

The best way to learn anything in life is by experiencing it, and the top poker movies provide the best opportunity to learn how to implement advanced poker strategies to win big pots in real life. There are more best poker movies and films with casino themes than I reviewed in this post. I listed my favorites and those that had a tremendous impact on the silver screen.  

I suggest watching poker movies regularly, as each story can teach you a lot about the mistakes to avoid and the best practices to master.