21 (2008)

O Masterpiece
O Excellent
X Good
O OK
O Mediocrity
O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / April 22, 2008

There is another film titled “21” from 1977 that is the second part of a documentary series which chronicles several individual’s lives, beginning at seven years old, and revisiting them every seven years to compare how they’ve changed. “The Up Documentaries,” as they are often called, are a must-see.

But this new “21” is a different matter entirely. Based on a book by Ben Mezrich, “21” tells an entertaining tale about Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), a genius M.I.T. student who is nearing graduation and is all but accepted early into Harvard Medical School. But Ben has two problems, however: He doesn’t have the money for the exorbitant tuition, nor does he have the “life experience” to stand out above his competitors to make the final cut into the program.

Ben lucks out … maybe. One of his professors (Kevin Spacey) notes Ben’s extraordinary gifts and invites him to be a part of an exclusive, lucrative team trained to count cards at the blackjack tables in Las Vegas. But the risks are great, even for fool-proof counters like Ben’s crew. There are dangerous “eyes in the sky” like Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne), whose gift for spotting card counters is only rivaled by his ability to beat cheaters to a bloody pulp in the back room.

“21” effectively shows us such a scene early in the movie, so all along we have the suspense of knowing that our likeable Ben is treading on thin ice. And this delicate, dazzling dance of suspense continues as Ben continues to collect his winnings, hoping to reach the $300,000 needed for tuition.

Even though it’s about the supposedly simple science of counting cards, “21” is surprisingly interesting — even fascinating at times. “21” is a safe bet and worth a trip to the video store.

Directed by Robert Luketic
Jim Sturgess / Kevin Spacey / Laurence Fishburne
Drama 123 min.
MPAA: PG-13 (for some violence and sexual content, including partial nudity)

U.S. Release Date: March 28, 2008
Copyright 2008: 270