Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) is a math whiz studying at MIT who gets recruited into a shadowy group of equally talented nerds led by a former professor (Kevin Spacey). With their amazing ability to keep track of numbers, the group heads out to Las Vegas to take part in an elaborate blackjack-card-counting scheme that can potentially win them millions from the casios. Loosely based on the bestselling nonfiction book Bringing Down the House. Watch for Jeff Ma, the real life Ben Campbell in a small role as a Planet Hollywood blackjack dealer.

 Intelligence pays off in a big way for Ben Campbell ( Jim Sturgess ), an M.I.T. university genius, his brains, number retention, and probability figuring factors impact favorably at the large casinos in Vegas.
 “Winner, winner, chicken dinner,” uttered when one hits 21 at blackjack, is what’s in mind as Ben and his college associates, tutored by Mickey Rosa ( Kevin Spacey ) a rather devious math professor, seem to have things all figured out as they live the ultra good life with money flowing in like water from the winnings.

 This fascinating tale, based on an actual true story and the bestseller Bringing Down the House, has as its basis, “words were numbers, numbers were words,” in the code they used. Each student had a role: a high roller, a lookout at the table to signal when the count was gotten and the table would be hot and also to fold up the operation, and to coordinate other activities. The only drawback to the caper could be ego taking over when it was time for the team to cease the particular night’s operations.   Ben is hoping for a Harvard Med School full scholarship upon his  M.I.T. graduation. In the event he is not selected in a large field of applicants, he needs money to go there. He is recruited by his unorthodox math professor, a stats genius, Micky Rosa. At first reluctant to join the team, Ben figures he can earn the $300,000 he needs for medical school tuition and then stop. Card counting, signals, and the team working as a well-oiled machine, make the casinos vulnerable to be generously beaten. But card counting, which is not illegal, is frowned down upon by the casino losing money. Ejection and often a beating by the strong-armed hired hands can result if they are caught.

Ben has a smart and good-looking teammate in Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth) and as the winning fever takes over from reason, he gets involved with her.  He may eventually give in to pushing the limits and making a great mistake along the way. Looming ahead too is no-nonsense casino enforcer Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne) who spells future trouble for the group if they are found out.  Williams is an old-school thug, who would probably be in prison himself if he didn't have this security job.  His passion is privately beating up card counters and cheats in the casino's basement sans lawyers and the law.  Williams is also under a lot of pressure because a new software program is rapidly replacing his services at many of the casinos he used to be contracted to protect from cheats.

 Director Robert Luketic states in the press notes: “You can be anyone you want in Vegas. M.I.T. geniuses become rock stars. They’re given the keys to Las Vegas. They have access to things that most of us can only dream of.” Thus temptations can thaw concentration in the job to be done. Keep in mind, these are young people tasting the “good life” as a complete lifestyle change.  Jeff Ma, on whom the story is based, is no longer allowed to play blackjack at most casinos in Vegas. “21” is a well-paced, fascinating insight into human behavior and how “smarts” are used for profit. Well directed by Robert Luketic, it’s well worth a trip to the movies.

The Players:  Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, Aaron
                      Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts

The Filmmakers:
Directed by Robert Luketic
Screenplay by Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb
        Based on the book “Bringing Down the House” by Ben Mezrick
Director of Photography: Russell Carpenter
Music by David Sardy
A Columbia Pictures release

 Well, here’s one worth watching. In an era where most of the "smart" entertainment dollars are focused on telling teens to drive fast, do drugs, get drunk, defy authority and look down on anyone who thinks using their brain might be a good idea, Columbia Pictures has decided to release a story about a young man who wants to become a doctor--he just doesn’t have the money for school. Now, you might ask, how do you make a movie about such a boring subject interesting enough to get people into the theater?

 Here’s how.

 The story: Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) wants to go to Harvard Medical. He’s got the grades, the smarts and the determination. All he’s lacking is the $300,000 the Ivy League demands for its diploma. At the top of his class at M.I.T., still Ben feels he has no future, at least, none for which his $8.00 an hour job can pay. Suddenly, however, he comes to the notice of a less than scrupulous math professor and stats genius, Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey). Mickey takes Ben under his wing, encouraging him to join a team of students he has put together for a small business proposition.

 Mickey has worked out the perfect system for counting cards and breaking the bank at the Vegas blackjack tables. Using an intricate system of hand signals and verbal cues, the team is able to pull hundreds of thousands out of the casinos weekend after weekend. At first Ben joins simply to raise the money need for his tuition. But, as the cash rolls in and the opulent Vegas life-style begins to work its magic, it isn’t long before he is racing along with Mickey and the rest of the team toward what seems inevitable destruction.

 The problems facing the group are two-fold. One, a new face-recognition technology is allowing the casinos to spot those who are counting cards. Second, those casinos not using the new computers are being protected by security chief Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne), who not only needs to stop the team to protect his rapidly disappearing job, but who also holds a bitter grudge against Mickey.
 This is one terrific film. What makes it even more interesting is that it’s based on the book "Bringing Down the House" by Ben Mezrich, the true story of how Jeff Ma and the rest of his M.I.T. genius team lived the high life in Vegas, until of course, things went very wrong. The book stayed on the best seller lists for well over a year, was translated into twelve languages, and has moved far in excess of a million and a half copies.
 Is the movie the true story scene for scene--well, as always, no. As producer Dana Brunetti told us;  "This is a fun movie. It’s not meant to be a docudrama. We made some changes to the real story in order to make it work as an entertaining movie. We set the movie in the present time and added a romantic element. But we never touched the heart of what made the story so exciting: the tense action, the high stakes, using fake identities and bravado to rise to the top in the fast-paced world of Vegas, beating the house and making millions. That’s what the book is, and that’s what the movie is, too."

 It’s hard to argue with the sentiment. "21" is an exciting and tense film. Knowing it’s a true story makes it all that much easier for the audience to put themselves into Ben’s position, and it’s one we all want to be in. After all, who doesn’t want to be the guy or gal smart enough to beat the casinos at their own game? Who doesn’t want to have tons of cash, have everyone bowing and scraping to them, ride everywhere in limos, party all night, sleep all day, and never again have to worry about how the bills are going to get paid? Not me. And I’m guessing not many of you, either.

 The film also has more going for it than just a good story. Spacey does his usual impressive job of being the likable bastard. More impressive is Fishburne as the frustrated Vegas enforcer. It’s one thing to have everyone praise your acting when, as in "The Matrix," you have lots of incredible special effects backing you up. Here, without anything but his own skill, Fishburne gets to prove his range is far more impressive than many have suspected.
 Well scripted, wonderfully filmed, this is the best date movie in the theaters right now. If you can’t catch it on the big screen, make sure you catch it eventually. It’s worth the time. And hey. You might even learn how to win a hand or two.

 Our final word: 5 stars out of 5.