For me, this film really flew in under the radar. I didn't pay much attention to it until I read the featured synopsis and realized exactly what it was about: the Jack Abramoff scandal. Featured as one of the largest political corruption events that ever hit Washington, DC, the scandal makes for the perfect plotline for an intoxicating picture, a feat that director George Hickenlooper pulled off brilliantly!
Inspired by true events that are too over-the-top for even the wildest imaginations to conjure, Casino Jack lays bare the wild excesses and escapades of Jack Abramoff. Aided by his business partner Michael Scanlon (Pepper), Jack parlays his clout over some of the worlds most powerful men with the goal of creating a personal empire of wealth and influence. When the two enlist a mob connected buddy (Lovitz) to help with one of their illegal schemes, they soon find themselves in over their heads, entrenched in a world of mafia assassins, murder and a scandal that spins so out of control that it makes worldwide headlines. Hickenlooper returns Spacey to the type of role that made him famous, a cool headed, articulate snake charmer whose wild ambition knows no limits or boundaries.
While Casino Jack has a smart script and some juicy performances from Spacey, Pepper, Kelly Preston, and Jon Lovitz, it's the director's approach to Abramoff's character that sets the film apart. Hickenlooper has done a few documentaries of his own which helps to explain why he takes such an admirably objective look at Abramoff; his attention to detail combined with a good screenplay allows this movie to flow smoothly from start to finish.
Overall, the film does a good job in telling a story that changed Washington DC politics forever. The acting was grade A and the writing and directing was right on the spot. This clever and smart feature will surely have you thinking about the inner working of the US government and will likely leave you scratching your head as you contemplate all that you once thought you knew.
*On Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, director George Hickenlooper was found dead of apparently natural causes. He was 47.
