Powerful

Just what I expected

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

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.

After reading all the great reviews on this film I decided to rent it. Not only is it about gambling, one of my favourite movie subjects but it is a Canadian film. I have watched a few Canadian films in the past and haven't been too impressed with the stories. This is not true with The Last Casino. I would recommend this to anyone who likes gambling themes in movies. This film definitely had a good story and good character development. Cinematography is great with different shades and hues depending on the locations.The actors are not very well known which adds to this films allure. I feel that you really get into the characters if you don't have any sort of pre conceived ideas of what they are all about, or if they haven't been type casted. Well worth the rental and I would even suggest a purchase of this DVD for your home collection. It does however lack extra features, meaning there are none whatsoever.To summarize the story...The movie centres around a math professor with a gambling problem, he is bankrolled by a mafioso type character that looks like he has a heroin problem. Things start to go bad when the professor gets banned from the casinos and his disguises are not fooling the eye in the sky. This is when he recruits 3 students to become part of his gambling ring to count cards and bet big to pay back his gambling debts. Various twists and turns in the movie makes this an interesting viewing.

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

I second the comment that this movie is one of the best of 2004. I'll actually go as far as to say this is THE best movie of 2004! The brilliant writing, convincing acting, skilled directing, and all other aspects of this film come together wonderfully to create a masterpiece. The plot is fresh and fairly unconventional, releasing its pathway from the overused movie plot clone formulae of Hollywood (ugh). The characters are all very lifelike and are performed masterfully by the actors! The music is also well done. I never felt myself distracted by flamboyant themes, but instead was drawn in by the music which worked perfectly to enhance the action on screen. I can't wait to see future movies by this relatively new director, skilled writer, and these great new actors.I recommend this movie whole-heartedly! Bravo Canada!