Clichés aside, I really enjoyed "21".

Rating: 7/10 (16 April 2008)

You and I have seen this movie many times before.
A talented Innocent is recruited/seduced by an older, devious mentor, with the promise of riches/fame/success if he utilises his talent on behalf of the mentor. Riches/fame/success are delivered, but the effects are corrupting on the Innocent. The Innocent loses everything, but watch out for the twist in the tale...
Indeed. Yes. Seen it, done it, lets move on shall we, please?
Ah... But hold your horses, there Chief! The reason the above scenario has become such a cliché is because it is used quite a lot, and the reason it is used quite a lot is because can be a really popular and entertaining cliché in the right hands. This brings us to "21".
I thought "21" was just a fabulous, unpretentious, piece of entertainment. Nothing more and nothing less. It has a young, attractive cast (Jim Sturgess and Kate Bosworth are, frankly, too beautiful to live), the gravity of experienced hands (devious Kevin Spacey and granite-like Laurence Fishburne), a cracking soundtrack (horrible remix of the Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" aside) and, lest I forget to mention it, the backdrop of Las Vegas looks amazing.
So, clichés aside, I really enjoyed "21".