Rain Man – A Card Counting Movie With A Big Heart
The Movie Rain Man Explained
The movie Rainman is one of the most often cited movies when it comes to the art of counting cards at the casino. We’re guessing that almost every blackjack player has seen the film and enjoyed watching the casino being taken to the cleaners by someone who’s severely autistic yet can win jackpot games with ease. The Hollywood A-lister, Tom Cruise, is now probably more renowned for his bonkers stunt exploits as well as his sporadic on- and off-screen shenanigans. But he was still making a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s most alluring leading men in the late 1980s. He entered a new chapter of his career with 1988’s Rain Man. Proving he could increase his range and play a dramatic lead with gravitas.
A Typical Hollywood Hero’s Journey
The rather sentimental movie, which was made under the direction of Barry Levinson, was written by Bary Morrow. The excellent Academy Award-winning script was penned by Ronald Bass. The movie centers on Charlie Babbitt (Cruise). He’s an unpleasant and rapacious young man who’s a selfish LA yuppie. He more or less kidnaps his older autistic brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) after learning that their father has passed away and left him the $3 million fortune. Both lighthearted and intense at the same time, this drama tells the story of their fraught relationship as they make a tumultuous road journey.
Part of the story that’s a standout for all gamblers is the casino scenes where Raymond has his moment in the sun, much to the satisfaction of his brother. OK, it’s not on the same level as playing at an online casino like Bovada Casino. But for sheer drama, it’s a close call. This bonding over the game of blackjack ultimately contributes to both brothers going through a fundamental transition, with Tom Cruise having his hero’s journey leading to the sad but cathartic ending for his character arch.
Rain Man Oscars All Round
Four Academy Awards were given to Rain Man, including those for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor for Hoffman. However, it’s been a significant part of mainstream culture for a while now. Many bring up the movie as a great example of how to win the jackpot online when talking about card counting in casino blackjack. So if you’ve a gambling fan who hasn’t seen it, or can’t recall how it ends, you’re probably not the only one. Let’s examine what transpires in Rain Man’s climactic scene while keeping in mind that there will undoubtedly be spoilers.
Discovering Uncomfortable Family Truths
Charlie Babbitt is in a dilemma at the beginning of Rain Man. He is a high-end automobile salesperson with lenders on his tail and Lamborghini deliveries being delayed by the EPA. When he finds out that his father, from whom he has been estranged for years, has recently passed away, his anxiety is only exacerbated. He makes the trip to Ohio to settle his father’s estate. There he realizes that all his father left him was a vintage 1948 Buick Roadmaster. He later learns that the remainder of his wealth went to a patient in a mental hospital. It turns out that this patient is his long-lost older brother Raymond.
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Selfish Reasons For Custody
Charlie encounters Raymond, a person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Savant Syndrome, but who also has a remarkable memory. In fact, he has a head for baseball statistics and phone book listings. In the end, Charlie releases his brother from the facility. It’s obvious that he merely wants to do this to claim the estate for himself. So he informs Raymond’s doctor, Dr. Bruner (Jerry Molen), that he aims to obtain custody of the boy. When Charlie refuses to fly back to Raymond’s house in Los Angeles, their plans come off the rails. This forces them to take the vintage Roadmaster on a road trip across the country.
Charlie quickly realizes he is in over his head when it comes to caring for his brother. When his tight daily regimen is disturbed, Raymond panics easily and loses his patience. But as Charlie learns more about his Rain Man brother, he also undergoes another significant transformation in his life brought on by their unanticipated closeness. Though his character is both selfish and unkind, Charlie gradually begins to see his own reflection from his dealing with his brother.
The Hero Makes A Sacrifice
The younger brother recognizes certain advantages of having his brother along for the trip. This is despite the communication difficulties between Charlie and Raymond. Once they arrive in Las Vegas, Charlie uses Raymond’s quick math skills and card-counting prowess to get through his debts for the Lamborghinis. They are in Caesars Palace. Charlie is able to use his innate photographic memory to count cards using the six-deck shoe. We’re unsure whether this would be possible today as a means of increasing your jackpot winning chances. After all, casinos tend to mix up the cards with shuffling machines. This means making blackjack card counting redundant. And you certainly can’t count cards at online casinos like Bovada Casino.
However, the bigger victory for Charlie comes when he starts to let down his defenses. He starts to open up to his brother emotionally. As Raymond shares his own experiences, Charlie realizes that the “Rain Man” he remembers as a child’s imaginary playmate was actually his brother. Their father prevented them from being close since he kept him locked up in the mental hospital
Rain Man: A Changed Man
By the time they return to Los Angeles, their motives have changed. Charlie’s ambitions for obtaining Raymond’s custody are now more for love than money. Charlie believes that it is best for Raymond to return to Dr. Bruner. This is so that he receives the right care after realizing during Raymond’s psychological assessment that he is not entirely capable of making his own decisions.
In a heartfelt exchange between the two, Charlie expresses his gratitude for having him as a brother. He promises to visit him soon and sends him back with Dr. Bruner on the Amtrak train. This is something that he had long wanted to ride. In truth, Rain Man has a sad ending. But it shows that both of them have come a long way and that their narrative has much more to say. The hero’s journey is complete. Charlie undergoes a complete transformation from a self-centered jerk to a loving and caring brother.
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