Amongst all the serious poker and card scenes in the film and TV industry, just a few, highly entertaining games of bingo play out. Despite online bingo becoming a phenomenon, no online bingo site has yet been portrayed in a film with all of the examples shown here situated inside a bingo hall.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (2005)

Nine seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Larry David – who stars as himself, albeit in a fictional manner – gets angry in a game of bingo in Season Five. David believes he has won the game, but is told by the rather frail bingo caller that he is wrong. He goes on to lose the game before alienating his fellow competitors even further by yelling he should have won.

 

Rampage (2009)

If ever there was a film that portrayed how immersive bingo is, it’s Rampage. Though far from a comedy – indeed, the story is based upon a young man that arms himself with machine guns and goes on a literal killing rampage – it is a light-hearted reprieve as bingo players are completely oblivious that a killer is sitting in their bingo hall.

Better Call Saul (2015)

Bob Odenkirk stars as Saul Goodman – a morally challenged lawyer – as he becomes a bingo caller to try and influence his audience to become his clients. Unfortunately for Saul, as he launches a tirade amongst an impressive monologue, his audience merely sit there waiting and watching him to get on with their beloved game.

Big Momma’s House 2 (2006)

Big Momma once more takes to the stage as FBI agent Malcom Turner poses as the Fuller family’s nanny. In a decision she would later rue, Big Momma takes the children to a bingo hall where, inside, Carrie calls ‘bingo’ as a joke.

 

Though hilarious to Carrie, the other players are less than impressed with the nanny having to step in and lecture Carrie whilst also trying to deflect the angry mob.

King of the Bingo Game (1999)

Adapted from Ralph Ellison’s novel, a sombre, yet gripping film, King of the Bingo Game witnesses an African-American with the name Sonny try to fight the Great Depression in his own unique way – by playing bingo at his local hall.

 

It’s a chance for Sonny to drown his ever-increasing sorrows but to also provide for his struggling family. Though harbouring hopes that one day his luck will come in, the bingo games are fixed by white overseers.