Stories about high-powered and ridiculously overpaid Washington lobbyists make for interesting drama and, in the case of Casino Jack, comedy. For those familiar with the story, this is a great film about the inner workings of the political world. However, Casino Jack has really good acting and dialogue, and is worth seeing for that reason alone. If you aren’t already familiar with the history behind the film, then you will likely be a bit confused. Problems really begin when Jack and his buddy Michael Scanlon (Barry Pepper) become really greedy, paying huge consolting fees in order to negotiate deals with politicians. Jack (Kevin Spacey) makes his living making deals with Washington for special interest groups like the Aboriginal gambling industry. There was also a documentary last year about Jack Abramoff, called Casino Jack and the United States of Money, and after seeing Casino Jack, you might be interested in checking the doc out as well for another look at the story.Ĭasino Jack tells the true story of political lobbyist Jack Abramoff. It will likely hold more interest to those that are familiar with ‘Casino Jack’s’ story, although it is watchable on its own as well. It may feel a little long for some at almost two hours, but Kevin Spacey’s performance makes it worth seeing. I liked this one and would consider it at least worth a rental. Through their schemes, Jack and his partners found themselves ever deeper into the web of illegal activity… The Blu-ray includes a gag reel, deleted scenes, and a photo diary with director George Hickenlooper, who sadly passed away on October 29th, 2010.Ĭasino Jack is inspired by the true story of ‘super-lobbyist’ Jack Abramoff, who used fraud to make money through promotion of the gambling industries, among other things.

For me, the film never reaches a level of greatness, but it is worth a look on DVD for those interested in the story. Casino Jack does drag at uneven points during the inflated 108-minute running time, but it is kept afloat by the strong cast and excellent leading work from Kevin Spacey. Norman Snider’s script is sharp and witty, allowing for some surprising dark humour in the most unlikely places. Receiving money to persuade politicians to vote in favour of special interest groups, this is the same story told in the recent documentary, Casino Jack and the United States of Money. Directed by the late George Hickenlooper, Casino Jack tells the true story of high-powered lobbyist Jack Abramoff (Kevin Spacey) and his sleazy assistant, Michael Scanlon (Barry Pepper).

Casino jack cast