Robert De Niro’s Most Underrated Crime Movie Is Now Streaming At The Perfect Time

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If you enjoy streaming movies, now’s a great time to bet on what many consider Robert De Niro’s best hidden gem in the crime genre.

The 1995 gangster film Casino brought back the team behind the acclaimed Goodfellas – director Martin Scorsese and actors Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro. However, it was generally seen as not quite as good as their 1990 hit movie.

With Casino becoming available on Netflix starting March 1, 2026, it’s a good time to take another look at this classic film.

The arrival of Casino on Netflix follows quickly after Robert De Niro’s 2025 crime film, The Alto Knights, found success on HBO Max. This streaming boost helps to redeem The Alto Knights, which wasn’t a hit in theaters and received a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

As a huge film fan, I was excited to see the new De Niro/Scorsese gangster movie hit Netflix, and it got me thinking about Heat 2. There’s been some recent buzz about that project, and it sounds like Michael Mann is really moving forward with it! Apparently, Adam Driver, Christian Bale, and Leonardo DiCaprio are all set to star. What’s really cool is it’s not just a sequel – it’s going to weave together storylines that act as both a follow-up and a prequel to the original Heat.

It’s still unknown which roles the three major actors will play in Heat 2. Also, it’s unclear if Robert De Niro will be in the movie, though director Michael Mann is aiming to start filming in 2026.

Although Heat is now considered a classic crime film and one of Robert De Niro’s best performances, Casino hasn’t received as much recognition. Currently, Casino has a 79% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while Heat scores slightly higher at 84%. Both films, however, are less critically acclaimed than De Niro and Scorsese’s Goodfellas, which holds a 93% rating.

As a big movie fan, I’ve always been fascinated by how ‘Casino’ was received. Critics definitely praised the acting and how visually striking it was, but a lot of them felt it didn’t really break any new ground, especially since it came out so close to ‘Goodfellas’. That mixed reaction was pretty clear at the Oscars too – poor Sharon Stone getting a Best Actress nomination was the only recognition the film got, which felt a little unfair considering how ambitious it was.

In 2022, ScreenRant weighed in on the long-standing debate between Goodfellas and Casino, arguing that Casino is actually the better film. They highlighted ten reasons why, noting that Casino boasts more complex acting and a distinctive portrayal of Las Vegas history, ultimately making it a stronger movie than Goodfellas.

While Goodfellas is known for its shocking scenes and larger-than-life characters, it doesn’t really delve into the reasons behind crime or the motivations of criminals. Casino, however, goes further, using its setting and the complex connections between its characters to suggest that a criminal lifestyle is ultimately destined to fail.

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2026-03-02 01:23