Doubling-down on gambling movie clichés

Rating: 6/10 (16 May 2010)

Fairly entertaining, but you've seen all of this before. It's another story about people beating the powerful gambling houses in Las Vegas at their own game.
The movie's line, "It's counting, not gambling!" should read, "It's futility, not science." The counting key cards idea is neither effective nor new. It's characterized here as being genius, which is almost laughable. Also, they use the old routine about gorilla-sized casino security guards watching everybody on video, standing by to beat somebody to a pulp. Like always, their leader is some demented head-basher. Then, when they actually chase somebody, there's maybe three guys (in a casino which would hire hundreds of people), and they always grab the wrong person, lol.
Most of the cast overact somewhat, especially the lead who goes emo for no apparent reason. The lead couple have no chemistry. Kevin Spacey, as the unilateral demigod of the blackjack team is effective in his role, and Laurence Fishburne as the casino boss is suitably menacing. Many of the later twists can be seen from a hundred miles away, but two items might creep up unexpectedly. Some plot complications seem contrived. There seems to be a weak reference to gambling addiction or something; but it's not developed properly. It's used only as a cheap plot complication.
Worth a watch if you have nothing else to do.