21
They proved the Vegas Blackjack System was beatable...by beating the hell out of it.
They proved the Vegas Blackjack System was beatable...by beating the ...
Crime, Drama
-
2008
Available on
Country
Ben Campbell is a young, highly intelligent student at M.I.T. who strives to succeed. Wanting a scholarship to transfer to Harvard School of Medicine to become a doctor, Ben learns that he cannot afford the $300,000 tuition as he comes from a poor, working-class background. But one evening, Ben is introduced by his unorthodox math professor to a small but secretive club of five students, Jill, Choi, Kianna, and Fisher, who are being trained by Professor Rosa to count cards at blackjack.
Director:
Cast:
,
Kevin Spacey
,
Laurence Fishburne
,
Kate Bosworth
,
Jack McGee
,
Jim Sturgess
,
Liza Lapira
,
Aaron Yoo
,
Jacob Pitts
,
Josh Gad
,
Sam Golzari
Similar
Same Director
Details
Runtime:
123 min
Release date:
27 Mar 2008
Country:
US, GB
Languages:
English
Budget:
$35,000,000
Revenue:
$159,808,370
Awards:
1 win & 5 nominations total
Top Critics Reviews
rotten:
If only director Robert Luketic and screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb had not opted for glitz. As filmmakers, they're playing for very low stakes.
– Peter Rainer,
Christian Science Monitor,
18 Oct 2008
rotten:
The students are so blandly written this never builds any suspense, though it probably has some value as an empowerment fantasy for debt-ridden collegians.
– J. R. Jones,
Chicago Reader,
31 Mar 2008
fresh:
Although it's definitely a fictionalization of a true story, they get the essence of this insanely crazy double life that these kids led as they were breaking the bank in Vegas.
– Richard Roeper,
Ebert & Roeper,
31 Mar 2008
rotten:
Inspired by the real-life story of the M.I.T. students who took Las Vegas casinos for millions, 21 has been reshaped to fit a simple movie template -- and it's nearly as much fun as watching an insurance professional compute actuarial tables.
– Jim Emerson,
Chicago Sun-Times,
28 Mar 2008
rotten:
A movie with an irresistible premise that ultimately collapses around the whole issue of motivation.
– Mick LaSalle,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar 2008