Casino Jack (2010) tells the story of political lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the scandal which sent him to a federal prison in disgrace. It stars Kevin Spacey as Abramoff, a character who is absolutely repellent from his first moments on screen. There are virtually no redeeming qualities to Abramoff and his associates; this film paints them as utterly loathsome and repugnant creatures, driven by greed and a fanatical obsession with power. The crew resorts to conspiracy, bribery, fraud, tax evasion, and even murder in their exploitation of Native America tribes and the regulation of casino gaming. Although light-hearted at times, with a cast that includes the scene stealing comedy of Jon Lovitz, Casino Jack is a scathing indictment of capitalism and the failures of the democratic process in United States of America.
Casino Jack is an interesting blend of Hollywood and Capitol Hill. Abramoff, who lived in Hollywood for ten years, wrote and produced Red Scorpion (1989), a film starring Dolf Lundgren, is portrayed as a born showman. Spacey plays Abramoff as a man who frequently dives into impressions of well-known actors and fantasizes about starring in his “own movie.” In the climactic scene of Casino Jack, Abramoff confronts the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, including John McCain, for accepting some of the same funds they prosecute him for soliciting. Director George Hickenlooper, who has worked extensively in the documentary genre, blends actual television footage of McCain into his scene, while never clearly showing the actor’s face that portrays the Senator. The result is an interesting intermingling of fiction and reality which contributes to the drama of Abramoff’s diatribe against the forces of greed which motivate him and subsequently pervert the American democratic process.
Final Grade: B
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