Following the story in the book would have been better.

Rating: 5/10 (6 April 2008)

OK, first what I liked about it. I like just about any movie about Vegas--and this one did a good job of bringing the flash to you--especially that first plane ride in at night--kind of makes you tingle. I liked must of the "true" parts of the story--i.e., the true anecdotes lifted from the book, like the test at the local illegal blackjack room. The best friends (total fiction) were cute and made for some comic relief.
This COULD have been a really good movie if it followed the true story closer though, rather than having the ridiculous premises that it did. Their was plenty of conflict for the protagonists in the book. Example: having the coed girlfriend at MIT at the same time he was dating an NBA cheerleader! (that was good stuff!) Plenty of contrast in the book too between MIT and Vegas.
Oh well--not the worst movie, not a bad date movie, and some good scenes.