Aces, Hi

Rating: 8/10 (13 April 2008)

Kevin Spacey really is a card; apparently there is no movie job he won't stoop to if it subsidises his real job of running and acting at The Old Vic in London. Here he plays scammer turned Math Professor who grooms a team of MIT students to rip off the Vegas casinos by legitimately mastering the art of 'counting' the cards. The inescapable fact that this is perfectly legal cuts no ice with the casinos who naturally prefer to retain the advantage so Lawrence Fishburne is apt to show up and 'discourage' gifted amateurs - who have, after all, spent hours honing the art of memorising discards - from darkening their doors in future. It's all quite glib, quite superficial, quite glossy and yes, quite enjoyable.