21

 

Stars: Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, Cole Williams, Ben Campbell, Sam Golzari, Josh Gad and Kevin Spacey

Director: Robert Luketic

Scriptwriters: Allan Loeb and Peter Steinfeld (based on the book "Bringing Down The House" by Ben Mezrich)

Columbia Pictures

Rating: PG 13

Running Length: 122 minutes

 

You thought going to college was books, tests, some partying, an occasional date and writing applications for scholarships? In 21, we see a world that few will enter. Well, plus the fact that the students involved are from M.I..T. The story is centered on gambling, Las Vegas to be specific, and the game of 21, more so. The film is based on Ben Mezrich's book, Bringing Down The House, which is based on a true incident. An M.I.T. professor taught his selected, brilliant students, the art of card-counting, but done with subtlety to avoid detection. Apparently, when the kids graduated, replacements came in, which is where the main character, Ben (Jim Sturgess from Across the Universe) comes into focus. There have also been two documentaries about this story. One was on the History Channel and called "Breaking Vegas," while the other was on BBC-TV and titled, Hustle.

 

We follow Ben, who rides a bicycle, wants to be a doctor, has two close friends, and needs money badly. Harvard Medical School will cost him $300,000 in tuition. Enter his professor, Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey  also one of the producers of the film) who runs a secret classroom after hours where he teaches two girls and two guys to count cards, wear disguises and go regularly to Vegas to win. Ben is in because of his no-nonsense answers in class and because Spacey thinks he can be a big card player without emotion.

 

The lure of easy money gets to everyone here. Studying five days a week and then two days off in Vegas as someone else is a turn-on. Plus, Spacey pulls strings so that they pass courses. Ben is hesitant, at first, but gradually gets into this life-style and ends up loosing two close friends (Sam Golzari and Josh Gad) who don't understand what is happening. Enter Laurence Fishburne as a Vegas casino detective and almost out of a job. He begins to suspect Ben as a card-counter and week after week follows him through the casino security cameras until he figures out the group's pattern. What to do next?

 

The film rests on the shoulders of Jim Sturgess, who has a great speaking voice, but the emotion of a statue. He isn't supposed to have emotion at the card table, but before and after, just shuffles through the role. Kate Bosworth, as a girlfriend and card counter, bats her eyes at Ben, but even she is part of the background. It's Spacey and Fishburne who show how it's done. Spacey is arrogance and finesse while Fishburne is burly and watchful. It's not a cat-and-mouse game for amateurs. Though Spacey's lectures both in and out of the classroom are too much and too many.

 

It certainly must be a high to go into a card game and walk away with thousands and thousands of dollars. You wonder, though, are the players so arrogant they wouldn't think someone (the house) would be suspicious at some point? Each of the students is interesting to watch, but you don't get into their lives, which interested me. We see where Ben hides his money, but what about the others? I wonder if 21 would have made a better mini-series. Also, the ending seemed added from another movie. At two hours, it was a yawning Vegas at 4 a.m.

 

Copyright 2008 Marie Asner