The word casino has evolved into something much more complex than the simple villa or summer house it once pointed to. Today’s casinos are more like an indoor amusement park for adults, and the vast majority of their entertainment comes from gambling. Slot machines, black jack roulette, craps and keno are the games that give them their billions of dollars in profits each year.

The film’s first half has deliberate echoes of Goodfellas, as we move through the money counting rooms of the casinos, and hear the voice of Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) describe how the mob skimmed millions from the houses. It’s a fascinating look into the inner movement of Vegas, and the corruption that makes it all work.

It’s also a compelling portrait of human greed, and the way that avarice ruins every single one of the key characters in the story. There are no good guys in Casino, and the movie is a harshly honest depiction of Sicilian Mafia life that speaks to people even if they’re not fans of organized crime capers.

But it’s Sharon Stone who steals the show, as the feisty Ginger, a woman who will not be pushed around. This is arguably the finest performance of her career, and it elevates the movie above its genre. Even if you only watch this because of the mafia element, it will still be an unbridled jolt of cinema, three hours that feel like an hour and a half.