Overview
A ruthless gangster's ambition leads him to reshape the gambling landscape of America.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- glamorous
- volatile
- romantic
- crime movie night
- classic hollywood night
What critics said
Critics generally praised the film's stylish period presentation and Warren Beatty's magnetic performance, while finding its narrative somewhat scattered.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film presents Benjamin Siegel's rise and Las Vegas ambitions as an expansive, romanticized interpretation of his life.
Bugsy's relationship with Virginia Hill directly competes with and fuels his plans for a desert gambling resort.
Sharp suits, Hollywood surroundings, casino dreams, and lavish period production frame organized crime as seductive spectacle.
The run-down desert gambling site becomes the setting for Bugsy's grand vision of a future casino city.
Films like Bugsy, and why
The Godfather Part II
stylized biographical crime drama centered on an ambitious mobster and the construction of a gambling empire
The Untouchables
period organized-crime drama balancing criminal ambition, romance, and polished historical spectacle
Miller's Crossing
romanticized gangster biography with magnetic performances and a strong emphasis on personal ambition
American Gangster
glamorous, performance-driven crime biography focused on a volatile underworld figure
Movie Details
- Director
- Barry Levinson
- Release Date
- 1991-12-10
- Runtime
- 136 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (468)
Cast
- Warren Beatty
- Annette Bening
- Harvey Keitel
- Ben Kingsley
- Elliott Gould
- Joe Mantegna
- Bebe Neuwirth
- Bill Graham
- Lewis van Bergen
- Wendy Phillips
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Bugsy about?
- A volatile New York mobster finds romance and an audacious desert vision while trying to turn criminal ambition into a glamorous new empire.
- What is Bugsy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Bugsy as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Bugsy violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Bugsy as brutal.
- What did critics think of Bugsy?
- Critics generally praised the film's stylish period presentation and Warren Beatty's magnetic performance, while finding its narrative somewhat scattered.
- Which films are like Bugsy?
- Films with a similar feel include The Godfather Part II, The Untouchables, Miller's Crossing, and American Gangster.
- How long is Bugsy?
- Bugsy runs 136 minutes.
- Where can I watch Bugsy?
- In United States, Bugsy is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
