Las Vegas. Sin City, a place where those who are looking for a little bit of luck can retreat and gamble – a true paradise for those looking to have fun. Which makes it the perfect setting for a movie.
The famous Nevada city has had several movies set within its confines, from hilarious comedies that are some of the funniest movies out there, to Zack Snyder features that will take you into a zombie apocalypse. From casinos to schools to heists, Las Vegas-set films have it all. These are some of the best movies set in Las Vegas, and where you can stream them.
The Hangover (2009)
If you want a classic comedy, check out The Hangover. Released in 2009, this film follows a group of friends who decide to go to Vegas to celebrate a wedding. The next morning, none of them can find the groom, and they also have no memory of what happened the night before. Now, it's a race against the clock to retrace their steps and find him before time runs out.
The Hangover is honestly an absolute Las Vegas classic. I feel like whenever I think of the city, this is one of the first films that comes to mind. All of The Hangover movies are funny, but nothing can quite beat the first. The chemistry The Hangover cast has is impeccable and it’s just so dang funny. This movie defined my middle school years and still continues to be one of my favorite comedies to date. You just have to love it.
Viva Las Vegas (1964)
Oh, you want old-school Vegas? You’re getting old-school Vegas. Viva Las Vegas is a classic musical starring Elvis Presley and Anne-Margret in a simple love story. A race-car driver is trying to mind his business while waiting for the ultimate competition - the Grand Prix. However, his life turns upside down when he meets the woman of his dreams in Las Vegas while he’s working to save up money for a new engine.
I mean, if you’ve ever heard of the song “Viva Las Vegas” from Elvis, it’s from this movie. And, with a musical starring the King of Rock and Roll himself, you know the tunes are going to be banging. While Las Vegas in the film looks nothing like Las Vegas does today, it still has that same Vegas vibe, and the chemistry that these two share is great.
Ocean's Eleven (2001)
If you’re looking for a heist comedy that takes place in Las Vegas, you have to check out Ocean’s Eleven. A remake of the original film released back in the 1960s (which you should also check out if you like this one), this story follows Danny Ocean and his criminal buddies, who decide to pull the ultimate heist in the city of sin - to rob $160 million from a casino owner. The twist? The casino owner’s girlfriend also happens to be Ocean’s ex-wife, creating an even more chaotic scenario.
Ocean’s Eleven is iconic for so many reasons. The background of Las Vegas is expertly used and the action scenes are phenomenal, but what does it for me is the outstanding Ocean’s Eleven cast. You have the likes of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle - all of these Hollywood powerhouses in the same film. And if you end up liking Ocean’s Eleven, there’s a whole Ocean’s franchise for you to watch after.
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
James Bond’s contribution to movies set in Las Vegas is Diamonds Are Forever. Like everything Bond (Sean Connery) does, it oozes cool in 1960s Vegas. The main action takes place on Fremont Street decades before it was closed to traffic. That’s a good thing too, since there is a pretty epic car chase along the original Strip. Of course, there is also a great gambling scene featuring Bond playing craps, alongside Plenty O’Toole (Lana Wood).
The Godfather (1971)
There isn’t a ton of Las Vegas in The Godfather none of the scenes set in Sin City were filmed there. However, who doesn’t think that Moe Greene could be running your hotel in Vegas? Not to mention thinking of Fredo every time you meet a cocktail waitress. In the sequel, many scenes were filmed in Nevada, but again, not in Las Vegas. Still, it’s a Vegas movie.
Pay It Forward (2000)
In this sweet romantic drama, Pay It Forward stars Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment, telling the story of a young boy who wants to make a difference in the world. So he decides to start a new movement called “pay it forward,” not knowing the impact that it would have not only on his community, but on those he loves, as well.
Truthfully, this is the only Las Vegas centered movie on this list that I can fully recommend for families, just because many of the others have pretty adult scenes or a lot of gore or violence, but Pay It Forward is just a sweet film. While the reviews at the time of its release weren’t the best, I can look back on it with a smile because I enjoy simple love stories.
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Starring Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue, Leaving Las Vegas is an amazing drama, based on a book of the same name. This film follows a man who has lost his family and his job so he decides to give up on everything and move to Las Vegas so he can drink himself to death and live the rest of his days alone. But, while he’s there, he ends up meeting Elisabeth Shue's character and forming a relationship with her.
Leaving Las Vegas is arguably the saddest film on this list, as it deals with really heavy issues such as suicide and depression, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a great film featuring wonderful acting. Nicolas Cage is stellar and ended up winning an Oscar for his role in the film, and Elisabeth Shue also scored several nominations, as well. It’s such a great film to watch, especially if you want an amazing movie set in Las Vegas.
Rain Man (1988)
Many people who go to Las Vegas dream of hitting it big at the blackjack table. Counting cards would be a big help, but it’s not that easy. There is one movie character for whom it is natural though. Ray Babbitt (Dustin Hoffman) in Rain Man can’t help but count cards and he’s darn good at it. It’s a little nasty that his brother Charlie (Tom Cruise) manipulates him into it, but it still makes us dream big.
Vegas Vacation (1997)
Even we have to admit that Vegas Vacation is easily the worst installment in the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise, but that doesn’t mean it won’t put you in the mood for a trip to the Las Vegas Valley. There are some sneaky funny parts, like Wallace Shawn as the unscrupulous dealer, and Ethan Embry's Rusty as "Mr. Papagiorgio." Plus Audrey takes a trip to one of the coolest tourist spots in town, the Neon Museum.
Bugsy (1991)
You can’t tell the story of Las Vegas without Ben “Bugsy” Siegel. Siegel was a mobster connected to Meyer Lansky and Murder, Inc. in New York. He is credited with the birth of the famous Las Vegas Strip when he built the Flamingo in the 1940s. Bugsy, starring Warren Beatty as Siegel, tells the story of the mobster, and the construction of the Flamingo. Amazingly, the hotel is still open, the oldest hotel on The Strip.
Honeymoon In Vegas (1992)
Honeymoon in Vegas is one of the most underrated comedies of the 1990s. Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicolas Cage, and James Caan are all brilliant in this movie about a proposal gone wrong in Las Vegas. It’s filled with showgirls, gambling, flying Elvises, and everything else that screams “Sin City.” Cage is especially hilarious in the movie.
Now You See Me (2013)
Next up on the list, we have Now You See Me. Another heist film but with a twist of magic, this fun movie (which also has a great sequel) follows a group of magicians who are skilled in what they do – so skilled, in fact, that they are able to use their magic talent to rob banks and other places, often handing off much of their earnings to the audiences they perform for, while keeping some for themselves.
This is such a fun heist movie. As someone who loves the magicians who are often featured in Las Vegas, the take they do in Now You See Me – with them all being bank robbers – is just so inventive and something that I really loved to see. It’s creative, and with a talented Now You See Me cast, the chemistry is all there for this magic show.
Ocean's Eleven (1960)
If you want a real taste of “cool” 1960s Vegas, look no further than the original Ocean’s Eleven starring the members of the Rat Pack as the thieves. Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr, and Dean Martin lead the all-star cast in a movie that was, of course, remade in the 21st century with an equally star-studded cast. If we’re honest, the stories about the making of the movie, with all the stars hanging out in Vegas together, are better than the movie, but it’s still super fun to watch.
Swingers (1996)
“Vegas, baby!” Those two words might just be the most quoted words from visitors to Sin City. They come, of course, from Swingers. While the movie, starring Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau is really more about LA, you can’t have a list like this and not include it because of the iconic scenes in Las Vegas. From meeting the women at the top of the Rio Hotel at the old Voodoo Lounge to the $100 minimum blackjack table, it’s Vegas through and through.
The Cooler (2003)
Starring William H. Macy, in one of his best films, The Cooler is a fantastic movie that you definitely can’t miss. In this film, a man who works as a casino "cooler" (a person who seems to keep gamblers from winning) is quite good at his job, but everything changes when he ends up meeting a lovely woman - and he falls in love with her. Now, he has to figure out his next move when his gift of cooling people's gambling luck begins to fade.
The Cooler is one of the best movies on this list. It was critically acclaimed when it first came out, and the film has some amazing acting. Alec Baldwin, for example, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role. William H. Macy got a Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor as well - it’s such a good story and one you should definitely watch.
Casino (1995)
You know, I’m only just now starting to realize how many crime and heist movies there are on this list because, dang, there’s a lot. Casino, a classic Las Vegas film, stars Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci, and tells the story of Sam “Ace” Rothstein, an expert handicapper in gambling who is given the shot to run Tangier Casino for the mob.
Casino, hands down, is the best film on this list in terms of pure quality. Directed by Martin Scorsese, Casino does an excellent job of showing how casinos were once run by mobs and had a lot of dirty business behind them, but also portrays the story of Ace in a way where you can’t help but want to learn more about him as he begins to change.
Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)
One of the most revered stories about Las Vegas is, of course, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Starring Johnny Depp, this black comedy is based on the epic book by Hunter S. Thompson and details the story of Thompson and "his attorney" who are tasked with covering the Mint 400 motorcycle race in Las Vegas their trip gets turned upside down.
While the film originally bombed at the box office, it’s so fun to re-watch now, as the performances are stellar, and of course, Johnny Depp always rocks whatever role he’s usually in. The partnership between Depp and Benicio del Toro, though, as Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, flows so well and makes their psychedelic story that much more fun.
Showgirls (1995)
There are some things about Showgirls that are laughably bad. The dialog is unintentionally hilarious and the plot is really just an excuse for all the racey scenes and nothing more. Director Paul Verhoeven has said the movie was misunderstood in its day, but it hasn’t aged well, either. Still, it has some great scenes in Vegas and harkens back to the day of showgirls and the shows they performed in, which are all but gone today.
21 (2008)
One of the big reasons that people return to Las Vegas over and over is the dream of hitting it big in the casino. In 21, the movie based on the true story of MIT Blackjack team, that dream is re-enforced by convincing card players that they can count cards and take down the house. It’s a pipe dream, but it sure looks glamorous!
Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Ocean’s Twelve took Danny and the crew to Europe, but the third movie in the series, Ocean’s Thirteen, brings them back to Las Vegas. The target of their heist is different, but the goal is the same, to embarrass and bankrupt him. This time the antagonist is played by Al Pacino and while the movie hits a lot of the same beats as the first one, the heist is different enough to still make it original and fun. Plus, it's always a treat to see Brad Pitt and George Clooney work together.
Con Air (1997)
Con Air is a masterpiece and fans of the movie will always go to the mat for it, even if doesn't always make sense. While most of it takes place in the sky, of course, the plane crashing into the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is the most iconic scene in the movie. The final chase scene all takes place in Sin City, so it definitely counts for this list. Put the bunny back in the box.
Indecent Proposal (1993)
Robert Redford, Demi Moore, and Woody Harrelson all-star in the controversial movie Indecent Proposal. Like another Vegas movie, Honeymoon in Vegas, the plot centers around a…well…proposal that a rich guy makes to a struggling couple who lose at the tables in Las Vegas. It’s a much darker movie, of course, and it was criticized a lot when it was released for its premise, but it was a hit. It might not get you in the mood to hit it big though.
Go (1999)
Director Doug Limen’s second movie, after Swingers, also takes place in Las Vegas. Go is a very different movie though. It’s a frenetic, wild adventure about locals in Las Vegas partying, and partying hard. While it was a moderate hit when it was released, it was acclaimed by most critics and has a pretty healthy cult following today. The film feels like a blur, in the best way, just like a good trip to Las Vegas does.
Hard Eight (1996)
True to his style, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Las Vegas movie (in his feature directorial debut), Hard Eight is a brooding, methodically paced character study. It also leans heavily into the darker side of casinos, gambling, and Las Vegas. If you’re looking for a party movie, this one isn’t it. But if you want a great director cutting his teeth on an intriguing story with the glitz in the background, this is the one you want.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
In the ‘50s and ‘60s, the desert outside of Las Vegas was used to test nuclear devices by the US military, so it makes sense that aliens might pick there to land. Anyway, Vegas is the perfect setting for one of Tim Burton’s best movies, Mars Attacks! The ensemble cast goes all out in this spoof of, and love letter to, sci-fi films of the 1950s. If you want to see Vegas get destroyed, this one’s for you.
3000 Miles to Graceland (2001)
3000 Miles to Graceland has everything you want in a Vegas movie. A super charismatic cast robbing a casino with plenty of witty banter to around, not to mention all the Elvis impersonators you’ll ever see in one place, drives this underrated gem from 2001. It’s got plenty of action too.
What Happens in Vegas (2008)
We will concede that most of the romantic comedy What Happens in Vegas actually takes place in New York City, but with a title like that – the catchphrase we’re all familiar with – it has to be here. Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher do what so many others have done, they get a quickie marriage after an epic night out in Sin City. They spend the rest of the movie hating each while falling in love with each other, naturally.
One From The Heart (1982)
Francis Ford Coppola has made some of the most revered movies in Hollywood history, but One from the Heart is not usually listed among them. His 1982 musical/rom-com set in Vegas has garnered a bit of a cult following in the years since it was released and bombed at the box office. Teri Garr and Frederic Forrest have great chemistry and while the movie was mostly shot on soundstages, there is a great scene with the two of them separately walking around Fremont St. in Downtown Vegas.
Fever Pitch (1985)
Not to be confused with the 2005 movie starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon, this Fever Pitch, from 20 years earlier is about a degenerate gambler played by Ryan O'Neal trying to win enough money to pay off another gambling debt. It definitely shows the dark side of gambling, as he struggles to get over his addiction while trying to win at the same time.
They Came to Rob Las Vegas (1968)
Everyone loves a good heist film, and They Came to Rob Las Vegas is a fun one. Anytime a crew gets together to steal from the mob, it’s going to make for an intense heist. Gary Lockwood and Jack Palance star in this oft-overlooked flick that isn’t the best movie on this list but still has some great shots of the city and the surrounding desert.
Jason Bourne (2016)
The Jason Bourne series has taken Matt Damon’s titular character all over the world and in his return to the franchise in 2016’s Jason Bourne, he finally goes to Las Vegas. The car chase along The Strip is fantastic and if you love Vegas and great car chases, this one is not to be missed.
Army Of The Dead (2021)
If you want some zombies, we've got the film for you. The Netflix original, Army of the Dead, released in 2021 features Vegas in a post-apocalyptic state, overrun by zombies. However, when a group of mercenaries are given the chance to steal millions of dollars from a casino before the city is nuked, they throw caution to the wind and dive headfirst into the army of the dead in the hopes that this money will change their lives.
Army of the Dead is so much fun. Often compared to Zack Snyder’s other zombie film, Dawn of the Dead, this one takes the setting of Las Vegas to another level. That, paired with the amazing Army of the Dead cast and some sick casino action scenes, makes this movie a hit.
With all these great picks, I bet it might be hard to pick just one but trust me when I say no matter what you end up picking, you’re going to have a great time watching them no matter what. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to go and re-watch Army of the Dead again for the millionth time.
