21 is the ultimate "cheating" story

Rating: 6/10 (25 August 2010)

There are plenty of movies out there that try to tell you when it is good to cheat and when it is bad to cheat. This movie does neither. It tells the story of Jeffrey Ma, renamed Ben Campbell in the movie and possibly the book on which it is based on. It focuses on a system of counting cards and the basics and complexities to getting there. Certain characters did not exist actually. It moved the story along in both the book and for the writer who says he did exaggerate and switch facts around. The real Blackjack team was mainly comprised of Asians or Asian- Americans. The most important imprint it left on me was not the urge to count cards and win big. In fact, many people who try and duplicate lose which is why casinos allowed this movie at all. No, the biggest imprint it left was the story of the "ultimate" cheating method and what it can do to you if you let it. Cheating may not always be bad, but it is dangerous. The movie was produced for big business. The actors act well mainly for big business, but the movie itself is fantastic. I suggest seeing it despite the controversies and scandals. If the movie affects you the way it affects me then it has done the job it should do. Read the book afterwards if you enjoy reading. That should leave even a bigger imprint. I say this movie is a, "Winner, Winner" and maybe a "Chicken Dinner" too.