The other actors can fold their cards when Kevin Spacey comes to the table

Rating: 7/10 (4 May 2008)

Java Man Reviews "21" (Rated PG-13). Directed by Robert Luketic. Written by Peter Steinfeld & Allan Loeb, based upon the book "Bringing Down the House" by Ben Mezrich. Starring Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, Aaron Yoo, Lisa Lapira, Jacob Pitts, Josh Gad & Sam Golzari. Running Time: 122 minutes. Originally appeared in LakewoodBuzz.com, May, 2008.
OVERVIEW:
Ben Campbell (Sturgess) is a shy but brilliant MIT student who wants to enroll at Harvard Medical School once he graduates, if only he can come up with the $300,000 for tuition. His math professor, Mickey Rosa (Spacey), recognizes his genius for numbers and invites him to join his special "math club," a group of fellow students who make weekly trips to Las Vegas to beat the casinos by counting cards at blackjack. Why apply for a student loan when so much easy money is to be made? The Vegas lifestyle soon seduces Ben -- as does one of his sexy-smart teammates (Bosworth) -- and he begins to lose his way. Warily watching all of the goings on is Cole Williams (Fishburne) the casino's old-school security chief who is trying to figure out why the weekly airbus from Boston seems to coincide with big losses for his client's casino.
REVIEW: 3 out of 4 Java Mugs
Based on a real-life account of MIT students who won millions in Vegas casinos in the 1990s, the screenplay adds Hollywood melodramatics and romantic comedy tropes to an already remarkable story. In other words, its a lot of fun... and if you ever had a fantasy to beat the bank at your favorite gambling parlor, this is the movie to see.
Sturgess and Bosworth are fine as the white-bread romantic leads, but the supporting cast is far more fascinating, including Gad and Golzari as Ben's nerdy pals, Yoo and Lapira as two of his colorful teammates, and Fishburne as the menacing casino cop.
But the other actors might as well fold their cards when Kevin Spacey comes to the table. Feel free to hiss, because that is exactly the way he plays it; he chews up every scrap of scenery in a performance which alone is worth the price of admission.
Watching a group of people sitting around playing blackjack is not the most visually exciting experience you could imagine, which provides a challenge for the filmmakers. They meet it by employing extreme close-ups, imaginative special effects, flashy camera angles and dynamic editing. Authentic backgrounds and great-looking characters don't hurt either.
Pay attention to the card-counting lessons, and maybe you can make some money on your next casino trip. Just watch out for a mean-looking guy with spiky rings on every finger.