Movie Review: 21

Humble student Ben Campbell dreams of attending Harvard Medical School. Unfortunately being from the wrong side of the tracks Ben has to make do realizing it may never happen thanks to a slight “shortfall” in the money needed to enroll at arguably the world’s most prestigious medical school. Worried sick about not getting his opportunity Ben bides his time with fellow nerds Cam and Miles Connoly.

Chance opportunities don’t happen often so when Ben displays a special knack with numbers he enters into the rather unusual world Micky Rosa lives in. Along with five students Rosa gets his kicks by playing cards, in this case, blackjack. After school sees this motley crew run the numbers and partake in a unique “club” where card counting is perfected to an art. Into this milieu gets launched Ben who, against his better judgment, succumbs to the lure of easy money and a possible dalliance with a fetching blonde named Jill Taylor.

Off to Vegas we then go as this team of six engages in the thrill of a lifetime. Now anyone who has ever been to a casino knows that the city that never sleeps wasn’t built on the backs of winners. Smart people realize that the powers that be don’t take too kindly to cheating – or card counting. Whether card counting is legal or not misses the point here. Thanks to these MIT card sharks jaunts to Vegas you could say that the way casinos deal their games got changed forever.

Lavish fun on a grand scale is perfectly honed here. Newcomer Jim Sturgess continues his winning ways after the surprise Beatles tapestry hit Across the Universe to knock the role of Ben Campbell out of the ballpark.