Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!

If you ever walk through a casino or sit at a blackjack table, you may just want to be hearing those four strange, yet exciting words. It just maybe your lucky night to win at a hand of blackjack.

21 boasts a cast with the likes of Kevin Spacey playing Mickey Rosa, the ex-player turned teacher/mentor. The new up and comer of Jim Sturgess (from Across the Universe fame). The ever so gorgeous Kate Bosworth who brings to life a girl you want to root for in Jill Taylor. And how can you forget the casino security, Cole Williams, played by Morpheus or better known as Laurence Fishburne.

This film delivers!

In 21, a team of card counters from MIT, whose weekend romps to Vegas to make money at blackjack, begins to attract a little attention after a new addition to the team.  Surrounded by big money, melodrama, some punch lines and of course the all to flashy lights of Vegas, what more can you ask for in a movie?

The film follows Ben Campbell who goes from being a nobody in Boston, to a somebody in Vegas over night. The high roller story of many a Hollywood story has been sprinkled throughout the film. Ben is a young naive student who needs cash to go to Harvard Med and doesn’t think he will win the once in a lifetime scholarship. With the always beautiful girl in pursuit we are along for the ride in a rags to riches and back to rags story.

Ben is the stereotypical shy, geeky kid with loser friends who happens to be one of the brightest minds in MIT unbeknown to him. In a everyday class at MIT of “Linear something or other”, Mickey Rosa comes face to face with the brilliant mind of Ben. The in class example of a game show was given of the host asking which of the three doors has the new car behind it. Ben promptly picks door number 1, as Mickey points to the chalk board and pulls down door number three to show nothing, Campbell’s mind kicks into high gear. Rosa takes notice visibly and the movie takes shape.

This classroom encounter eventually leads to a late night invite to a room in the back halls of MIT. Once in the room Ben is met with a familiar face in Mickey and Jill Taylor (the girl who is just out of reach of his secret crush) along with a few fresh faces. They are sitting at a mock blackjack table learning the simple math behind counting cards. The conversation ensues and Ben leaves with a fear of whats to come.

We are led through a myriad of scenes where Ben accepts, earns and then is tested in his new found skill of counting cards. All leading up to his first visit to Vegas. And what a trip it was.

The Cinematography was excellent in this film. The film captures the energy and excitement of Vegas all the while bringing us back to the snowy campus of MIT in Boston to ruin the fun. The lights and action are captured well in the faces of the actors along with a great soundtrack to lead us from place to place.

The writing team of Peter Steinfield and Allan Loeb have brought the adaptation of Ben Mezrich’s top selling book “Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions” to the big screen. And they have done a pretty solid job.

On the whole, the film is a crowd pleaser with a great cast,  solid performances and believable characters. My only complaint was the length of the film. It was just under two hours and seemed to drag towards the end. The ups and downs of the film really made for slow transitions towards the end leading up to the climax.

I would recommend this film to friends without a doubt.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆