Stylish and satisfying

Rating: 7/10 (3 April 2008)

"21" follows the rise (and ultimate fall, and what happens afterward) of a college math wiz recruited by his professor to outwit the blackjack tables at Las Vegas and make a ton of money. It's a well made movie with lots of class and style, and if you aren't turned off by the notion of filthy lucre, then you are bound to enjoy this.
The movie works well because of its cast. Jim Sturgess, the young male lead, is outstanding. He does a great job of transitioning from initial uncertainty to eventual acceptance and ultimately relishing his new "career." He's eminently likable and you can't help pulling for him all the way.
Kate Bosworth is lovely as his love interest, always impeccably polished. She looks a bit old for the part of a college student, and especially her style of clothing in the casinos (while ravishing) is not quite right for a 21-year old. I wish more buildup had been devoted to her relationship with Sturgess, but the movie is all told from his angle. Best of all, Kevin Spacey is dead-on as the ringleader. He is cool, efficient, very sharp with every line. As always, he always manages to steal every scene he is in.
There is also a nice subplot about these aging casino security agents, who are being phased out in favor of software recognition systems. It gives the movie more depth and interest, and ultimately you can't help realizing that these guys, while "villains" in one sense, are also "heroes" in another.
The look of the film is fabulous, well worth consideration for art direction. It's all about Vegas, but not over the top, somehow. You never blame the character for falling into the trap, because it is all so addictive: the cash, the clothes, the fabulous rooms (it's almost worth seeing the movie just to see those penthouse suites!). The editing and camera work are awesome. They did an especially good job zooming way in on the cards, to where they almost become characters in the story. But it never gets technical, it never dwells on splitting 8's or hitting a soft 17 or anything like that. Even if you know nothing about the game (and I know very little), it won't impair your enjoyment of the movie.
It's not a very deep movie, but it does have insight into human character and motivation. It's mainly just a lot of fun to watch. I give it a solid 8 (maybe shading towards 8-1/2).