After the smart and funny preview for the new movie 21, it's easy to have high expectations. Hopeful filmgoers shouldn't worry about a disappointment, however; these expectations are all met, and then some, with the unexpected twists and turns of this film and excellent acting.
Perhaps the reason this movie is so appealing is that it's inspired by a true story about college students. Haven't you (or your parents) ever wished college was easier to pay for? Well, so does Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), an MIT student who has been accepted to Harvard Medical School but doesn't have the $300,000 tuition. Luckily for him, one of his MIT professors -- Micky Rosa(Kevin Spacey) -- has a solution to Ben's financial problem. The solution involves spending weekends in Las Vegas, playing blackjack with a team of four other mathematically gifted card counters. It's not illegal, but that doesn't mean it comes without risks.
When such large amounts of money are involved, one can imagine how easy it is to get caught up in greed and selfishness. This is exactly why Rosa put such an emphasis on the team to always count, never gamble and never let emotions influence their game. Within the team, trust is formed and broken and relationships are made -- all under the careful and often manipulative eye of Rosa. When this happens, the plot really starts moving.
Sturgess and Spacey push the plot forward and captivate their audience with ease. Their complementary parts as both the stressed-out college kid living it up in Vegas and the dangerously powerful professor behind it all are incredibly enjoyable. They are often likable, even at their most morally corrupt moments. The rest of the team also impresses with excellent comedic timing. Although many of the supporting actors are unknown faces, one particularly enjoyable talent in the group is newcomer Aaron Yoo. It's no wonder the film won the ShoWest Convention award for Best Ensemble for its eight leading actors.
This film is not perfect, however; behind its impressive cast and appealing plot, there are a few weaknesses. The most disappointing things about this film -- besides the loss of Sturgess' British accent -- are the disguises and the card-counting dialogue. The team insist they need disguises to avoid being recognized every weekend, and audience members begin to understand the danger involved in what these kids are doing. Some confusion may arise when the film switches to a new casino scene and the team members all look so similar to their "disguises" from the week before that it is no wonder they get caught. And no, that's not a big spoiler -- without getting caught, there is no plot.
Since the plot revolves around counting cards, it was surprising that the film never explains exactly how the teammates count cards. This is a major issue that some may have with the dialogue. There is lots of talk about "the count" and whether the deck is hot or cool, but audience members never understand why. Without prior knowledge of blackjack, it is even hard to tell which numbers are good in a count. Perhaps the skills needed to count cards are so difficult that the film's writers decided not to confuse their audiences with an explanation. What doesn't make sense then is how throughout the film counting cards is advertised as "simple math."
Despite a couple minor flaws, 21 is definitely worth seeing and will probably earn a place in many personal DVD collections. As an added bonus, be on the lookout for the dealer named "Jeff." This is Jeffrey Ma, the real-life Ben Campbell and the inspiration for the entire story. Vegas, money, risks, beating the system and the man who did it all himself -- who could ask for more? 3
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