Smokin' Aces  is a 2007 crime drama film, written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It stars Jeremy Piven as a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant and Ryan Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him. Alongside work by Ben Affleck and Andy Garcia, Smokin' Aces marks the feature film debut of both R&B artist Alicia Keys and rapper Common. Set in Lake Tahoe, the film was shot primarily at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa (renamed the "Nomad Casino" in the film).

Las Vegas magician and wannabe gangster Buddy "Aces" Israel is hiding out in a Lake Tahoe hotel penthouse with his entourage, while his agent, Morris Mecklen, discusses a potential immunity deal with Deputy Director Locke of the FBI. Agents Messner and Carruthers learn that mob boss Primo Sparazza has put a hit out on Israel worth one million dollars involving a mysterious assassin known as the Swede, with the added stipulation that he bring him Israel's heart as well. A number of assassins are also after the reward, including Lazlo Soot, a Hungarian who specializes in disguises and impersonations; Sharice Watters and Georgia Sykes, a duo of hitwomen hired by Sparazza's underboss; Pasquale Acosta, a torture expert and mercenary; and the psychotic neo-Nazi Tremor brothers.

Locke dispatches Messner and Carruthers to take Israel into custody when the deal is struck. A team of bail bondsmen, Jack Dupree and his partners, "Pistol" Pete Deeks and Hollis Elmore, have been hired by the firm that posted Israel's bail. The bondsmen are attacked by the Tremors and only Elmore escapes alive. Messner is dispatched to the murder scene while Caruthers proceeds to Israel. Meanwhile, each of the assassins gain access to the hotel in their own various ways.

Carruthers encounters Acosta, disguised as a security officer, in an elevator at the hotel, he senses something is not right and both are disabled in a gunfight. Meanwhile, Soot gains access to the penthouse by posing as one of Israel's henchmen. Israel's second-in-command, Ivy, learns that Israel agreed to give him up as part of the plea deal, but, before he can kill him, Israel injures Ivy long enough for the hotel security team to restrain him. Georgia stumbles upon Carruthers and Acosta in the elevator, but assumes Acosta is Soot. In Los Angeles, Locke abruptly backs out on the deal with Israel and orders that Messner and Carruthers not be told. The Tremor brothers reach the penthouse floor, where they engage in a shootout with the security team while Israel, learning of the FBI's new position, attempts suicide.

Messner arrives at the hotel and sets up a position around Georgia's elevator. Sharice provides cover from another hotel with a .50-caliber, M82 sniper rifle, outgunning the FBI agents. Acosta, still alive, shoots Georgia, but is shot by Carruthers. Sharice, thinking Georgia is dead, refuses to escape and keeps shooting at the FBI team. Georgia escapes to the penthouse, where she stops Darwin Tremor before he can kill Ivy. Tremor escapes, and Messner, distraught over the death of Carruthers, stops Ivy and Georgia on the stairwell, but lets them escape. Sharice, seeing the pair alive and free through her rifle scope, is gunned down by the FBI.

Locke and a team of FBI agents descend on the penthouse and take Israel to the hospital, while Soot escapes by tearing off his disguise. Acosta, carted away on a gurney, is also shown to be alive. Darwin Tremor tries to escape, but is gunned down by Hollis Elmore.

Messner arrives at the hospital and learns the truth about the day's events from Locke. The mysterious Swede actually is a prominent heart surgeon and Soot was hired by Sparazza to get Israel's heart, so it could be transplanted into the body of Sparazza. Sparazza is further revealed to be Freeman Heller, an FBI agent who went undercover and was thought to have been killed by the mob. Sparazza has agreed to expose the mob's operations in exchange for Israel's heart, who is shown to be Sparazza's love child and, thus, the most compatible donor.

Messner, furious over the unnecessary deaths, especially Carruthers', protests and is ordered to leave the hospital. Instead, he walks into the emergency room, locks the doors, and pulls the plug on both men. He then lays his gun and badge on the floor and sits in disbelief as Locke and the doctors desperately try to break in.