Cast: Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne Dir: Robert Luketic Rating: 3/5
Based on book Bringing Down the House 21 follows a group of bright students from MIT who make up a Blackjack team and take Las Vegas for millions.
Ben Campbell is a shy, brilliant M.I.T. student who, needing to pay school tuition, finds the answers in the cards.
He is recruited to join a group of the school's most gifted students that heads to Vegas every weekend armed with fake identities and the know-how to turn the odds at blackjack in their favour.
With unorthodox math professor and stats genius Micky Rosa leading the way, they've cracked the code. By counting cards and employing an intricate system of signals, the team can beat the casinos big time.
Seduced by the money, the Vegas lifestyle, and by his smart and sexy teammate, Jill Taylor, Ben begins to push the limits.
Though counting cards isn't illegal, the stakes are high, and the challenge becomes not only keeping the numbers straight, but staying one step ahead of the casinos' menacing enforcer: Cole Williams.
The vast majority of 21 is pure fun it introduces the audience to the world of Blackjack and Las Vegas and sells it pretty well even if it does sugar-coat it slightly as well keeping the cautionary message that gambling is not a great past-time.
Newbie Jim Sturgess does well as Ben the born loser who struggles with life in the winning lane before, and not surprisingly, he gets carried away and has to redeem himself.
Unfortunately Kate Bosworth is given little to do except be Sturgess’ love interest. But the best performances come from big screen veterans Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne as the desperate to beat Vegas Micky Rosa and Cole Williams who wants to catch Rosa for a past scam.
While it may not set the screen alive it’s fairly fast paced and explains well the idea of card counting whilst playing cards and the Blackjack scenes are quite exciting. It’s by no means a poor movie but just lacks a bit of punch however it’s not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.
21 is out now on DVD
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw