movie review 21

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Common sense media reviewers.

Breezy Vegas con film fun, with some iffy stuff.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The students involved in the scheme are aware that

A security officer takes delight in beating up any

Strippers do their thing at a club (lots of cleava

Some salty language, including "goddamn," "bulls--

Practically feels like a commercial for Las Vegas,

Lots of drinking in Boston pubs and at the Vegas c

Parents need to know that 21 is a breezy, fact-based drama about college students who use their math skills to count cards in Las Vegas; it may appeal to teens thanks to stars like Jim Sturgess (of Across the Universe ) and Kate Bosworth. That said, the subject matter is pretty serious, and…

Positive Messages

The students involved in the scheme are aware that what they're doing isn't necessarily playing by the rules, and they seem quite attracted to the rush. They also happily indulge in the spoils, drinking to excess, hooking up with strangers, and throwing money around (one seems to have a shoplifting habit, and fake IDs are used to subvert the authorities and protect the students' true identities). Still, it's clear that, for them, it's not necessarily about total greed (except perhaps for their mentor, Professor Rosa). Also, for Ben, this enterprise is a means to a seemingly noble end: paying for medical school without having to rely on anyone for help. Plus, he comes to an understanding that his game isn't without its cost.

Violence & Scariness

A security officer takes delight in beating up anyone caught counting cards; he even wears special rings on his fingers to make the experience more painful (the bloody aftermath is shown on camera). He also flashes a gun, and another gun is fired in a casino. Some loud arguments between friends.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Strippers do their thing at a club (lots of cleavage shots); Jill propositions Ben, and they make love in front of a window (they're shown from the top half, kissing passionately, naked); mild jokes about masturbation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Some salty language, including "goddamn," "bulls--t," and the like.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Practically feels like a commercial for Las Vegas, with scene upon scene of casinos, gamblers, and the strip. Signage is everywhere, from the Hard Rock Cafe to Planet Hollywood to The Mirage. A book that teaches the students how to count cards is clearly shown. Shopping sprees take place in stores that are clearly marked out front or by shopping bags, including Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Also many mentions of Google, Sizzler, MIT, Harvard Medical School, etc.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Lots of drinking in Boston pubs and at the Vegas casinos and strip bars. Tons of smoking in those locales as well.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that 21 is a breezy, fact-based drama about college students who use their math skills to count cards in Las Vegas; it may appeal to teens thanks to stars like Jim Sturgess (of Across the Universe ) and Kate Bosworth . That said, the subject matter is pretty serious, and there are some fairly violent scenes -- a security officer punches counters with a closed, ring-bedecked fist -- as well as lots of smoking, drinking, swearing, and, of course, gambling. The students also meet up post-gambling at a strip club, and there are plenty of cleavage shots and some passionate clinches. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (8)
• Kids say (12)

Based on 8 parent reviews

Too much sex

What's the story.

MIT senior Ben Campbell ( Jim Sturgess ) has worked hard all his life to achieve one goal: attend Harvard Medical School. Getting in isn't the problem -- he's already been accepted -- but paying for it is. His only chance is a full-ride scholarship, but nothing distinguishes him from most of the applicants. He's smart and hardworking, but he has no life experience, having sacrificed his social life for school. No wonder the lure of Vegas becomes too much for him to resist -- what's not to like about the chance to make tons of money, live a different life, and land a pretty classmate, Jill ( Kate Bosworth )? Jill is part of a blackjack "team" led by professor Micky Rosa ( Kevin Spacey ), a math whiz who trains his students in the fine art of card-counting and flies them to Sin City for money-making weekends. Technically, it's not a crime -- but Vegas doesn't celebrate winners, particularly if they're geniuses who find a way to take the house for all it's worth. Soon Ben discovers he's involved in a dizzying game where the stakes -- Harvard, graduation, his future -- are much too high.

Is It Any Good?

Slick, stylish, and mostly seductive, 21 -- based on Ben Mezrich's nonfiction book Bringing Down the House about MIT student Jeff Ma -- is a treat despite some clunky dialogue and clichéd setups. Just one example: On his 21st birthday, Ben's mother beseeches him to have fun; "You only turn 21 once," she says. Cut to the fork in the road that promises excitement. Later, Jill, in an effort to persuade Ben to join the team, tells him, "You were born for this." And so on.

But true talent masks many ills -- and Sturgess has plenty. Cool and vulnerable in Across the Universe and aptly English in The Other Boleyn Girl , he's credibly earnest and awkward here, but not so much that his Vegas transformations are unbelievable. Spacey, who co-produced the film, gives viewers more of his sneering, snide shtick, but it's effective here. His mentees are a likable bunch -- young, too-clever, and eager to please. And Vegas? The cheese is (mostly gone). Rarely has it looked this fun.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Ben's decision to gamble as a means to an end. Was he right? Is it ever OK to bend the rules to accomplish something?

Since it's not technically illegal to count cards, why is it so frowned upon? Do you think it's cheating or just a clever use of math skills? Is it easier to justify something like card counting if you're taking money away from a casino instead of a person?

Does the movie glamorize Las Vegas and gambling? What do you think casinos are like in real life?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 27, 2008
• On DVD or streaming : July 21, 2008
• Cast : Jim Sturgess , Kate Bosworth , Kevin Spacey
• Director : Robert Luketic
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Gay actors
• Studio : Columbia Tristar
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : STEM
• Run time : 123 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : some violence, and sexual content including partial nudity.
• Last updated : December 23, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Well made. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 21, 2021

An entertaining film that... as simple as it is passionate. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 6, 2020

Kate Bosworth, who's made three films with Spacey now, seems to fare the worst here.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.0/4.0 | Sep 24, 2020

Full of flash and style that makes it one of the more entertaining Vegas films in recent memory.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Oct 29, 2019

A scenario utterly Hollywoodised to death, with barely a movie cliché left untapped by the director and screenwriters.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Feb 4, 2019

Can't decide whether it's high stakes or high school.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 4, 2018

Despite being "based on a true story," the script is a loaded deck that plays like a pack of lies. 21 just doesn't add up.

Full Review | Nov 30, 2017

Craps out leaving you wondering how it all went so wrong.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/10 | Oct 24, 2012

Too bland, too bright and too long, 21 may talk a big game but it is mainly insipid entertainment.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 7, 2010

Luketic's dunderheaded, would-be caper is a morality tale where the only moral at stake is the dullard-hero's thoughtless entitlement

Full Review | Aug 27, 2009

It's a slick enough movie, with an intriguing enough concept. It would be a much more enjoyable movie, however, if the wheels didn't come off script-wise.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 24, 2009

One can't help but think there was a smarter film to be made from this premise.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Mar 29, 2009

When the movie 21 was announced with Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne, it sounded like a winner. When everybody else involved in 21 was mentioned, it was doomed to be a loser.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Feb 2, 2009

As ever with gambling films, it's difficult to convey the thrill of winning at second hand; the human-interest complications are unconvincing and Spacey himself, I'm afraid, is a lugubrious and deadening presence.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 18, 2008

If only director Robert Luketic and screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb had not opted for glitz. As filmmakers, they're playing for very low stakes.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Oct 18, 2008

Spacey makes a nicely chilly villain and Bosworth a warm and glamorous leading lady, if an implausible maths genius.

Full Review | Oct 18, 2008

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Oct 18, 2008

Disappointing thriller that's let down by a tedious script, a frankly ridiculous final act and some dodgy overacting by Kevin Spacey.

This is a prime example of a movie that isn't bad, per se, just unnecessary, a competently made but wholly unremarkable trifle.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Oct 18, 2008

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Oct 18, 2008

21 (United States, 2008)

21 is a perfect example of how something that's "based" on a true story can nevertheless exist mainly in the realm of fiction. While it's true that the source material for the movie, Ben Mezrich's Bringing Down the House relates events that actually happened, screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb have fictionalized the entire story, leaving intact only the central idea that a group of MIT students devised a card-counting scheme that allowed them to fleece the Vegas casinos. And, while I'm firm believer in the adage "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, " 21 doesn't spin a good enough yarn to justify all the changes. In fact, when one character indicates to another that he started out smart then got sloppy and stupid, he might have been referring to the script.

Our "entry point" into 21 is Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), a graduating MIT senior who has already been admitted to Harvard Med School. There's a problem, though: Ben can't raise the needed $300,000 (never heard of student loans, I guess) and his chances of getting a "free ride" scholarship appear slim. Along comes Professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey), who brings with him a too good to be true offer: a space has opened up on his "team" and he's offering it to Ben, one of the most gifted mathematical minds he has encountered during his time teaching at MIT. The "team" is a group of five students who visit Las Vegas regularly and put into effect a sophisticated card-counting scheme that the casinos have been unable to break. Initially, Ben refuses, but the allure of Harvard Med plus his attraction to Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth), one of Micky's special students, pulls him in. After a local initiation, it's off to Sin City for Ben's official induction. There, waiting to match wits with him is Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne), the head of security at Planet Hollywood.

The idea behind 21 is compelling - tell how a group of college kids beat one of the most sophisticated anti-crime systems in place anywhere around the world. Unfortunately, the problem is with the execution. Perhaps because there's math involved, 21 doesn't do an effective job of providing the bare-bones details of how the crime is pulled off. It hedges and cheats and employs lots of quick edits but we don't get anything close to a coherent description of what the kids' methods are. It doesn't take long before the film relegates the heist elements to the background so it can focus on clichéd interpersonal relationships, including a tepid romance between Ben and Jill. Finally, the movie ends with a series of Hollywood staples, including a chase and a "twist" that won't surprise anyone.

21 is yet another instance of Hollywood dumbing-down smart people. In order to pull off something as audacious and successful as what the MIT students did, they had to be geniuses. Yet, as portrayed in the movie, they're ineffectual blunderers. Some of the things they do are so stupid that they're insulting. Of course these characters are eventually going to get caught doing these sorts of things. How could they not? Audiences enjoy watching heist movies where the characters are two steps ahead (not two steps behind) and where the narrative provides some surprises. Neither characteristic is evident here. And, in addition, the resolution has an unpleasant "have your cake and eat it" quality. The fingerprints of those demanding a Hollywood ending are all over this screenplay.

Jim Sturgess, who has survived the Beatles debacle Across the Universe relatively unscathed, gives a nice turn as shy Ben, who gradually emerges from his shell as he gains more confidence in his newfound skills. It's a familiar character arc but Sturgess' performance allows us to buy into it. Kevin Spacey provides his customary intensity; he's fun to watch even when he's not in peak form. His Superman Returns co-star, Kate Bosworth, isn't as successful. Her performance is wooden and she and Sturgess don't click as a couple. Laurence Fishburne is wasted in a stereotypical thug role and no one else has enough lines to be worth mentioning. The supporting characters in 21 truly are one-dimensional.

Another disappointing aspect of 21 is its sluggish pace. The high-energy Vegas setting doesn't increase the wattage of the production. The movie is a little over two hours in length but feels longer. Some of the movie's last-act "action" sequences have been inserted primarily as a way to liven things up, but they're so pointless and derivative that all they do is drag out the running length. (Are we really supposed to be thrilled by scenes of Sturgess and Bosworth being chased by bad guys through a series of casino kitchens?) When it comes to the other two heist movies currently playing in theaters, The Bank Job and Flawless , the only advantage one could attribute to 21 is the youth of its cast. When judged on the basis of story, excitement, surprises, and character development, 21 comes in a distant third.

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11 Apr 2008

123 minutes

Robert Luketic is so over pink. After establishing himself as Hollywood’s go-to guy for any script that dotted its ‘i’s with hearts, the Legally Blonde director has ditched pastels for something more boysy - and he proves himself capable of frothy amusement for either gender.

Based on a true story, 21 follows Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), a handsome college nerd, who is inveigled into a group of teenage card-counting blackjack players led by his maths lecturer (Kevin Spacey). So follows a journey of riches won and lost, sexual awakening and really good suits.

This is as much a piece of enjoyable fluff as anything else Luketic has made; it’s just got moodier lighting. The nerd who gets a taste of the cool life is a cinematic stalwart, so it stands to reason that Ben’s first few outings in Vegas provide the film’s zippiest scenes. His fellow scammers are a job lot of characters, allowed only two facial expressions each, but their propensity for taking on new identities every time they hit the tables makes them fun to be around. That people wishing to pass unnoticed would probably not don big hats, goofy glasses and wigs from Madame Skanky’s House of Hookers is rather beside the point. Realism is unwelcome in this realm of wish fulfilment, and that’s just fine.

Luketic places the film in capable hands with his two leads. Bosworth is sweetly determined as love interest Jill, a combination of mutual exclusives: maths genius and prettiest girl in school; a career gambler father, and happy childhood. But it’s Sturgess who makes the movie. The young Brit, who threw heart and lungs into Across The Universe, has an everyman appeal that gives the movie a sturdy centre. Spacey is clearly enjoying himself immensely as the preening Svengali, but his once-subtle charisma has given way to a smirking need to hog the lens, while Laurence Fishburne makes an insufficiently threatening villain, as a security guard outdated by technology.

Being a film about dodgy gambling, 21 can’t resist some sleight of hand in the final act, but it’s an obvious con that won’t draw any gasps from its big reveal. This is a film that's at its most enjoyable when it knows not to play beyond its means.

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Movie Review: 21 (2008)

• Phntmbanana
• Movie Reviews
• 7 responses
• --> March 29, 2008

Alright … well there isn’t much to say about 21 because it really just made me so angry to the point that I screamed out “FUCK this movie” about a half hour in. Now you may be asking me why I would get so angry at such an obviously mediocre film. Simple, it was just so horribly cliched and lazy in almost every way possible that it was impossible to not get upset. If they had stuck to the supposedly fantastic source material – a book named “Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions” by Ben Mezrich – then the movie would have been infinitely better. What could have been a fascinating tale becomes an after school special with a happy ending that doesn’t fit in anywhere.

21 is the story of Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), a promising M.I.T. student who needs money to get into Harvard Medical School. To make ends meet (and against his better judgement) he joins a group of his fellow students, Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth), Kianna (Liza Lapira), Choi (Aaron Yoo) and Fisher (Jacob Pitts) to go to Las Vegas every weekend with their math professor Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey) to “beat the house” by counting cards while playing blackjack. Fascinating stuff and if the movie would have kept the focus on the characters and how they beat the system, it would have been so much better. But instead it put its focus on how this master group basically did the most cliched things possible in Vegas – riding in limos down the strip, hanging out with strippers and acting like pompous high rollers. Moreover, the way that director Robert Luketic decided to present this was predictable and boring, with the money making process being outlined through either stop motion video (which I actually did scream at in the theater) or some sort of epilepsy inducing flashes of cards. As I said earlier, this movie is completely Hollywood-ized in a way that really took me away from the story.

Moving onto the choice of actors, I can’t complain too loudly, after all, 21 features an all-star cast of actors. They all do their part relatively well but none of them really stand out and propel the film to the level that it needed to be for me to enjoy it. The fault lies with the lack of character development (which for me is what should have driven the film) by writers Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb. The only role with any semblance of meat was written for Kevin Spacey – problem is Spacey’s role is the same as I’ve seen him do a thousand times before. I’d have also liked to see more from Lawrence Fishburne, who plays Cole William, the casino agent fixated on tackling the team. He almost seems to be miscast as the “villain”.

So long story short, 21 is a movie that disappointed me greatly. Ultimately, it rips off so many great casino films while systematically ruining a fantastic true story by dumbing it down into a story that was made for children. Just because a film is PG-13 doesn’t mean you have to completely alienate everyone above the age of 12 with a story that is full of morals where they don’t belong and a twist ending that doesn’t fit. It is a crying shame that such a good cast was wasted on a lazy movie that just borrows and never improves. My suggestion? Read the book if you are interested in this story and avoid this film adaptation completely.

Movies and comics are my passion. When not watching the latest Hollywood megahit I can be found idling at the local comic shop.

Feature: Top 10 Horror Movies of the Past 10 Years (1999-2008) Movie Review: The Strangers (2008) Movie Review: Teeth (2007) Movie Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) Movie Review: Doomsday (2008) Movie Review: The Signal (2007) Movie Review: There Will Be Blood (2007)

'Movie Review: 21 (2008)' have 7 comments

March 30, 2008 @ 8:46 am Anthony

Is there such a thing as a good casino type movie that doesn’t involve gangsters? I can’t think of any..

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April 9, 2008 @ 9:23 pm Magda

it pained me to see a movie with so many great actors running like a long episode of CSI crossed with outtakes from Oceans 11(or is it 10?) I think this movie went overboard with the least realistic portrayal of Las Vegas since, well Las Vegas(tv show)and frankly i am sorry to say, i had to ask my date how it ended, as i totally spazzed, and actually had to be woken up at the end.The large gentleman who had sat behind me said, and i quote “you didn’t miss much.” pshaw!

April 13, 2008 @ 2:19 am Ojay

It was that much of a pain? I have not seen 21 yet, but the preview and trailer was very enticing. I’m disappointed to hear 21 was a big disappointment. Hmm…I think I’ll still go to the movies to watch it, though. I’ll come back to comment on my thoughts once I have watched the movie for myself.

April 16, 2008 @ 3:27 am Ojay

It did rip off more than a few great ideas from past casino blockbusters, however it wasn’t that much of a let down for me. Was it original? Nope. Was it a knockoff? Perhaps. Was it entertaining? Yes, I sure thought so…

April 29, 2008 @ 4:55 pm 21 Blackjack

I had no chance to see it yet, but read a lot of rather bad reviews. If the movie is really that bad then it had wasted a very good opportunity. I think the real life story, on which the film was based provide great material for an action movie, and could reveal a lot more about casinos and casino players than any other gambling movie. It could also introduce blackjack, a classic, and my favourite, casino game to a wider audience. As I said, I had no chance to see it yet, but if you are disappointed you can always watch a fascinating BBC documentary about blackjack and card counting that was inspired by the very same story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/million_prog_summary.shtml

July 23, 2008 @ 3:40 am mochi

This piece of garbage is an example of Hollywood at its commercial worst. It’s one long bad MTV video and some of the worst directing around. Be warned that unless you have two plus hours to waste then don’t waste any money on it.

June 24, 2009 @ 3:08 pm S D Kaplan

I agree: “What could have been a fascinating tale becomes an after school special with a happy ending that doesn’t fit in anywhere.” But the critique itself is written very poorly, prose- and thought-wise.

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• DVD & Streaming

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Jim Sturgess as Ben Campbell; Kevin Spacey as Micky Rosa; Kate Bosworth as Jill Taylor; Laurence Fishburne as Cole Williams; Liza Lapira as Kianna; Aaron Yoo as Choi; Josh Gad as Miles

Home Release Date

• Robert Luketic

Distributor

• Columbia Pictures

Movie Review

While other teens were easing their way through high school, Ben Campbell was studying. When fellow MIT students were hitting the keggers, he was hitting the top of his class. Ben is boyishly cute, nerdishly awkward and nothing short of a math/science genius. And his one big goal in life is to make it to Harvard Medical School. But he can’t avoid the fact that all the talent and sacrificial hard work in the world won’t overcome an empty bank account. Especially in light of the lauded school’s $300,000 tuition.

Ben hopes that he and his friends Miles and Cam might win a coveted first prize in an inventor’s competition—which would open the door to a scholarship. But even that seems to be a long shot.

Then Micky Rosa, one of Ben’s MIT professors, takes note of the unassuming young man’s brilliance with numbers and invites him to join a little club. But this isn’t your typical study group. These students and their crafty prof are boning up on ways to use their math skills to outfox the wolves at the Las Vegas blackjack tables.

Reluctant at first, Ben is soon convinced that the system is flawless and that this could be his ticket to raising the money he needs. Besides, there’s an important hole card—Jill Taylor is part of the group and Ben has never been this close to a girl so beautiful. And that’s a sweat-inducing incentive he just can’t argue with.

So it’s off to gamble away the weekends in Las Vegas. But as the money mounts, an appreciation for the glamorous life grows. Greed sets in. And everything changes.

Positive Elements

At the heart of things, Ben is a nice guy who has worked diligently to make good. He and his widowed mom are very close, and she is willing to give him every penny she has to help him meet his tuition needs. (He refuses to take her money.) She tells her son, “Your father would be so proud of you.” Later, Ben admits, “I lied to my mother, but I confessed my lie and she still loves me.”

As Ben gets tied up with his weekend trips, he begins to lose touch with his friends Miles and Cam. The two approach Ben and offer to help him if he’s in trouble. Cam even volunteers to go to AA meetings with him if it’s a drug problem.

The film uses a story that focuses on the world of gambling to point out quite a few things wrong with gambling. More on that later.

Spiritual Elements

One of the MIT students, Choi, tells Ben that they go to gamble in Vegas on “weekends and Christian holidays.” Choi also has a habit of stealing everything he can get his hands on in the hotel suites. When he steals a Bible, Prof. Rosa tells him, “You steal the Bible and you go to hell!” Choi retorts, “Like I’m not going already.”

Sexual Content

The MIT gamblers regroup on several occasions in a strip club. While never fully nude, the club’s waitresses and pole dancers hide little. At least one wears only pasties and a g-string, and several are seen from a number of sexually salacious angles. Waitresses give men lap dances. And the camera relishes close-ups of patrons slipping money and poker chips into the girls’ barely there bras and panties. The hotel pools also feature scores of women wearing revealing bikinis.

Ben and his nerdy friends are used to ogling pretty girls from a distance at a local bar. During one such foray, two girls dance together and kiss (to whooping cheers from the male patrons). The friends also carry their slack-jawed drooling over to the school gym, and they make jokes about masturbation.

Ben and Jill push past flirtation and end up kissing passionately and stripping each other’s clothes off. (We see Jill in bra and skirt, and then the two “pose” in a naked but strategically covered embrace.)

A Harvard administrator has a statuette of a reclining nude that we see from the rear. Ben stuffs large wads of cash into his underwear. Even the average non-pool, non-strip club female attire in Las Vegas (including Jill’s) is cleavage-baring and form-fitting.

Violent Content

William Cole is the surveillance chief and strong arm for several casinos. When he catches crooked gamblers—including the card-counting Ben—he unleashes punishing blows that result in bloodied faces, blackened eyes and broken cartilage. Cole tells Ben, “I will break your cheek bone with a small hammer, and then I will kill you.”

In retaliation for a slight offense, a man tosses a student around and then pulls a gun and fires it into the ceiling.

Crude or Profane Language

Characters use the s-word in a half-dozen instances. “H—” is interjected nearly 10 times while “a–” and “d–n” show up three or so times each. God’s name is taken in vain.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Beer, wine, mixed drinks and champagne all flow freely in Las Vegas hotel suites and casinos. (And about two-thirds of the movie takes place in them.) Ben, Miles and Cam drink beer at the bar. Among other activities, most of the patrons in the strip club are shown drinking beer and alcohol. Guests drink at an MIT alumni dinner. One of the MIT gamblers gets drunk.

A number of characters smoke cigarettes and cigars, including Rosa and Jill.

Other Negative Elements

Prof. Rosa makes veiled threats to his students to keep them in line. He makes good on one, causing a student’s academic ruin. Rosa also finagles an A for Ben in a fellow teacher’s class so that Ben can go gamble.

Ben glorifies a decadent gambling lifestyle by saying, “In Boston we had a secret—in Vegas we had a life.” And the lasting impression of the film could have been more cautionary. As it is, Ben and his friends still seem to be on top of the world as it wraps, stalking through a casino and grinning like Cheshire cats.

“Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” At the beginning of 21 , Ben gives us a brief history of this celebratory phrase and an idea of how exciting it is to hear it ring out at a Las Vegas gaming table. He could have gone on to detail the biblical context of “The love of money is the root of all evil” as well, because both expressions strike at the heart of this film.

The story is based on Bringing Down the House , Ben Mezrich’s bestselling account of real-life MIT students who took the Vegas blackjack tables for millions in the 1990s. It’s an involving tale about the risks (and rewards) of deception, unbridled greed and promise of easy cash lining the Vegas strip. It draws us in with its handsome, likable cast and leaves us with a somewhat satisfying, if predictable, conclusion.

But like many flicks that take characters through a progression of temptation, sin, remorse and a bit of conscience, it shows us a lot of temptation and sin (inherent in a full deck of Vegas violence, booze and near-naked strippers) before it gets around to the momentary remorse and conscience part.

And in this case, that momentary remorse and conscience may be too little too late for another reason: It was Jeff Ma who led the MIT card-counting team. And though he appears in the film, he’s convinced that 21 is “great for Vegas. It perpetuates the myth that blackjack is beatable.”

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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21 Parent Guide

University can be a bit expensive, so when Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), an academically bright student, is offered a shady opportunity to make some big bucks, he takes the gamble. The money making scheme involves employing his math skills at the Las Vegas blackjack tables -- but his winning streak soon captures the attention of some poor losers.

Release date March 27, 2008

Why is 21 rated PG-13? The MPAA rated 21 PG-13

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

Click here for a detailed explanation of how we determine our grades.

The MPAA has rated 21 PG-13 for some violence, and sexual content including partial nudity

Based on true events, this story is about a group of MIT scholars (Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts, Kate Bosworth). During the week, they live low-profile lives as struggling college kids with homework to do and papers to write. But on the weekends, they are high rollers on the glitzy Las Vegas Strip where a single night of game playing can net each of them a substantial wad of cash.

At first Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) is reluctant to join the “team”. The slightly nerdy mathematician is working with his friends (Sam Golzani, Josh Gad) on an entry for an upcoming robotics competition. He’s also saving money for Harvard Medical School. On the Cambridge campus, he hardly stands out or even gets noticed by the girls, especially Jill Taylor (Bosworth). However, all that changes after the bookish undergraduate accepts Micky’s special invitation. Before long, Ben’s established a new reputation in the Nevada resort as a big player and is on a first name basis with many of the card dealers and hotel staff.

He’s also kindling the suspicions of Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburn) and the other casino surveillance personnel (Jack McGee) who want to plug the casino’s outflow of cash. Meting out their own form of Old Wild West justice, their vigilante punishments are comprised of threats and bloody beatings that fly under the radar of established legal procedures.

While not officially illegal, the team’s organized approach to scamming the gambling establishments has as many ethical issues at its core as do the casinos themselves. The students’ excessive weekend lifestyles include sex, frequent alcohol consumption and evenings spent in a strip bar (partial nudity is seen). Yet even with this desert city’s lavish nightlife and the promise of anonymity, the plot often lumbers at a painfully slow pace and conveniently overlooks some of the safeguards these private clubs have in place to protect their investments.

With relatively few consequences for the team’s actions, this promise of quick money may seem inviting to teens facing the high cost of university tuition. But with few positive role models in the movie, families may prefer to cash their chips in for a different theatrical experience.

Beyond the movie ratings: What Parents need to know about 21 ...

Bright lights, booze and scantily clad women (with buttock nudity) performing in a strip bar are some of the entertainment these college kids take in when they’re not at the tables. A brief sexual encounter (bare shoulders are shown), discussions of other sexual activities and some passionate kissing between male/female partners and female/female partners are also depicted. The frequent theft of hotel objects, lies and assumed identities are portrayed, along with cigarette use, social drinking and stress-motivated alcohol consumption. A fight breaks out in the casino and one man fires a gun. Characters are taken to a dark basement and physically beaten (bloody injuries). Numerous profanities and terms of Deity are used in the script

Talk about the movie with your family…

Acceptance at prestigious universities is increasingly challenging. How might the rigors of academic competition impact students? Does Ben’s need for tuition money justify his activities in Vegas? Is this the kind of life experience that would look good on a Harvard resume?

Can something be ethically or morally wrong even if it is not illegal? Why do the characters in this film have little or no recourse when they are conned? What significance do peer pressure, pride and jealousy play in this script?

Las Vegas has a huge advertising campaign “What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas”. What dangers, if any, might be associated with this promise of anonymity?

Video alternatives…

Catch Me If You Can is the story of Frank Abagnale (played by Leonardo DeCaprio), another brilliant young mind who used his skills for illegal gain while being chased down by FBI agent Carl Hanratty (played by Tom Hanks). In October Sky , a teacher in a coalmining town encourages a student to see new possibilities for his life by pursing his passion for rocketry.

DVD Notes: 21

DVD Release Date: 22 July 2008

The movie 21 releases to DVD with the following extras dealt in the hand: three featurettes ( The Advantage Player, Basic Strategy: A Complete Film Journal and Money Plays: A Tour of the Good Life) and an audio commentary with director Robert Luketic and producers Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca. Audio tracks are available in 5.1 Dolby Digital (English, Spanish and French), with subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

21 also releases in a Blu-ray version. This edition provides all of the aforementioned bonus materials plus an interactive game: 21Virtual Blackjack . Audio tracks are available in 5.1 TrueHD (English, French and Portuguese). There are language tracks in Spanish and Thai as well. Subtitles are provided in English, French, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Thai and Indonesian.

About author

Rod Gustafson

The most recent home video release of 21 movie is july 21, 2008. here are some details….

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• Cast & Crew
• 48   Metascore
• 2 hr 2 mins
• Drama, Action & Adventure
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Winning, fact-based account of a group of MIT scholars and their wily professor (Kevin Spacey), who develop a system for card counting that they use to deal Las Vegas casinos a multimillion-dollar hit. Jim Sturgess costars as a cash-strapped student who joins the team to make money for tuition. Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne. Screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb adapted Ben Mezrich's book "Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions."

Loosely based on the real-life exploits of a team of MIT math geeks who used a sophisticated card-counting system to win millions at Las Vegas' blackjack tables, Robert Luketic's movie is a predictable moral tale enacted by blandly pretty young things who bear little resemblance to the average brainiac. Blue-collar MIT senior Ben Campbell (UK actor Jim Sturgess) has just been accepted into Harvard Medical School: Now all he has to do is figure out how to pay for it. Ben and his geeky pals (Josh Gad, Sam Golzari) have spent the last year angling for a science prize in robotics, but something far more lucrative is about to come Ben's way, courtesy of math Professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey, who also produced). Rosa has figured out a just-about surefire way to win at blackjack, a combination of conventional card counting, code words and carefully orchestrated teamwork. He's trained a hand-picked team of students to put his system into action, and he happens to be down one player: He wants Ben, whose "brain is like a goddamn Pentium chip," to step in. Ben demurs -- he's a nose-to-the-grindstone kind of guy, not a risk-taker – but sexy cardsharp Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth) reels him in and Ben quickly becomes Micky's star pupil. Soon he's raking in the big bucks, romancing Jill, stealing the spotlight from golden boy Fisher (Jacob Pitts) and leaving his old friends in the lurch. The question isn't whether it's all going south but when, especially once he's on the radar of remorseless casino loss-prevention specialist Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne): Card counting may be legal, but the house advantage is sacred in Vegas, and that makes Ben and friends miserable sinners. Screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb successfully transformed Ben Mezrich's Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions into ruthlessly formulaic entertainment, which Luketic polished to a high gloss, and to his credit, he nails the neon seductiveness of Las Vegas. But the end result is still utterly predictable, thoroughly disposable and less true than truthy. Jeffrey Ma, the real-life "Ben," has a cameo as a dealer at the Planet Hollywood casino.

21 Movie Review: No BlackJack but It’s Not a Bad Hand

I was anxious to see the movie 21 as I had read the book Bringing Down the House , the book on which the movie is based.  However, aside from the idea of a bunch of MIT kids taking on Vegas, there are few similarities between the book and the movie.

This movie had little opportunity to fail in my eyes.  As a huge fan and frequenter of Vegas, how can you beat a movie where the premise is taking Vegas for millions?  And the quality actors:  Laurence Fishburne, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth.  But who’s this new kid?  The lead actor?  Jim Sturgess.  I do not recognize him.  Can he pull off the role as the lead character?  I wondered.  We’ll see.

A girl friend of mine is a theatre student in South America.  She pointed out to me the differences in European/Latin movies and American movies.  In European/Latin movies, the lead character is not required to have a metamorphosis; if it’s a movie script where the lead character just goes about their business, leading their daily life, then so be it.  That’s the movie.  This is often why the American audience may find these movies very…dull and depressing.  Look no further than 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days  for an example of this.

But American movies require the lead character to change, to learn from their mistakes, and find some sort of redemption.  And those people financing the movie usually require this change to be positive.  This way the audience leaves with a smile and their movie makes a lot of money.

And since 21 is an American movie, we begin with our lead character in a predicament.  He does not have the money to pay for Harvard Medical School and he is seeking a full scholarship to pay the $300,000 tuition.  If he does not get the money, he will not be able to attend he tells the jaded scholarship official who responds:  “There are many applicants for this position and, while your credentials are fantastic, so are all the others.  We need someone who stands out.”

This premise required me to suspend disbelief.  Do I live in another world?  If someone gets into Harvard Medical School, can’t they just get a loan that will pay the full tuition of $300,000?  A Harvard Med School graduate will easily earn $300,000 some years after graduation.  I’m sure any bank would be happy to carry his loan.  Ok, I say to myself during the movie, stop thinking about this.

And so we find our lead character needing money, working in a men’s clothing store for $8 per hour (he’s an MIT student, can he not get a better job?-suspend disbelief again!), attending his last days at MIT, working on a science project with his geeky friends, speaking with his wonderful mother, and having distant memories of a father longed passed away.

A perfect setup for redemption?

And redemption begins is his mathematics class taught by none other than Kevin Spacey´s character,  Prof. Micky Rosa.  I love Kevin Spacey and think he’s a tremendous actor.  American Beauty and The Usual Suspects are two of my favorite movies.  Go Kaiser Sose!

His role in this movie was familiar, too familiar.  It was an exact blend of his role as the teacher in Pay it Forward and sales manager in Glengarry Glen Ross:  the omniscient, selfless professor and the greedy, self-full manipulator.

This first interaction between Jim Sturgess, who thus far is carrying his role beautifully, and Kevin Spacey is a great scene.  As the teacher, Micky introduces a seemingly simple scenario of probability called variable change :

A game show host tells a contestant to choose between three doors.  Two doors have a goat behind them…and the other has a brand new car.  He tells Ben to choose a door.  He chooses door #1.  Then, Micky, acting as the host, knowing what is behind each door, reveals what is behind door #3-a goat.  He then asks Ben if he would like to change his choice or stick with door #1.

Ben then says, “I would like to change to door #2.”

“Why would you want to do that?” asks Micky.

And Ben says, coolly and emotionless, “because of the principal of variable equations.”

“Exactly,” says Kevin Spacey, very impressed by the answer.

(This seemingly easy scenario leaves many baffled.  Many people reasonably conclude that the chances would be 50/50 either way, but they’re not.  This issue is discussed at great length on the Internet.  Read more about it here.)

This interchange leads Micky to invite Ben into his other world, the world of his BlackJack MIT team, comprised of several characters but the one we’re most interested in is Kate Bosworth’s character, Jill Taylor.

In the end, she entices Ben to join the BlackJack team but he claims that he is “only doing it until he makes the $300,000 to pay for his education.”

This is where the movie becomes a bit cliché, but exciting nonetheless.  Ben of course goes to Vegas, makes a lot of money (which he stupidly keeps above the ceiling tiles in his dorm room-suspend disbelief again!), finds a confidence that he has never had, and gradually dismisses his relationship with his geeky friends as well as the idea of only being in this until he has made his Harvard money .

And then one night Ben makes a big mistake.  He lets his emotions guide his decisions, which is a fundamental error in their gambling system.  Always play emotion-less.  He loses $200,000 and the relationship with Micky is destroyed.

“You know what you were to me?  Money.  And now…You owe me $200,000 dollars.¨

Ben then convinces the team that they do not need Micy.  He doesn’t even play.  They can do it on their own!

But Ben has become a suspected card counter.  This portion of the movie does adhere to the book and we are introduced to Cole Williams, played very well by Laurence Fishburne.  He’s old-school Las Vegas and quickly becoming an anachronism.  His casino security/surveillance company is being taken over by companies that provide computer surveillance with biometric scanning to ferret out casino cheaters.

But Cole does not need a computer.  He can spot casino cheaters because he knows their game; one senses that at one time, he was on their team.  And when he catches you-watch out.  You’re headed for the back-rooms of the casino where you’ll be lucky to escape with only a broken arm.

He of course catches our lead character as he’s trying to do it on his own.  Here, we have a great back-room scene with the two as Cole beats and berates Ben, who leaves the casino looking as if he has just been in the ring with Chuck Lidell.

His world begins to crumble.  He has been kicked off the Blackjack team, Micky is going to give him an incomplete in his class and now he will not be able to graduate from MIT, his money is stolen from his dorm room presumably by Micky, and he has lost his true friends, the geeks.

This is where the cliché’s intensify to a somewhat unbearable degree and the acting of Jim Sturgess becomes forced.  It’s as if he realizes he’s in a cliché and performs these portions of the movie artificially.

He apologizes to everyone, realizes his true self once again , etc, etc, blah, blah .  But he does have revenge on his mind and engages in a plot to bring down the teacher, a plot contrived by Cole, who we find out later had a history with the teacher.

In the end, we are back at the beginning, as too often happens in American movies.  But it works in 21.  Ben is in his final interview for the scholarship, but to get it, he has to stand out from the other numerous applicants.

And, of course, now he has a story to tell, a story that will no doubt earn him the scholarship to Harvard.

Other Notes And Links:

• This movie reminded me a lot of Risky Business, in which Tom Cruise needs a loan for college, does outrageous things unbecoming of any serious university student, but in the process learns many lessons of life and discovers the how the real world works.
• On the filmjabber , they more or less agree that it’s pretty good but not great.  Sadly, he went to the movie by himself.

Watch the 21 Movie Trailer

If you still haven’t seen the movie 21 and would like to, it’s available here on the Amazon .

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Thoughts on 21 (2008)? I know its a really flawed movie but deep down I kinda love it. Laurence Fishburn and Kevin Spacey (I know hes a shit person whos been cancelled off the face of the planet) but still, both are great.

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Twisters First Reviews: Thrilling, Immersive, and Surprisingly Full of Heart

Critics say lee isaac chung's standalone sequel is a rousing piece of summer blockbuster cinema with plenty of spectacular visuals and an unexpectedly well-handled romantic twist..

TAGGED AS: Action , First Reviews , movies

More than 28 years after its release, Twister has a sequel. According to the first reviews of the long-awaited follow-up — going by their Tomatometer scores — Twisters is even better. This standalone installment stars Glen Powell , Daisy Edgar-Jones , and Anthony Ramos in a romance narrative threaded into its overarching storm-chasing plot. While the disaster movie spectacle gives audiences a lot of bang for their buck, director Lee Isaac Chung , the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind Minari , reportedly brings more substance to this blockbuster.

Here’s what critics are saying about Twisters :

Is this one of the best blockbusters of the summer?

I’m happy to say that Twisters is just about as good as a summer movie gets. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly

As a summer blockbuster, Twisters more or less meets the requirements. — David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

It’s always wonderful to see a big summer movie that simply works as well as this one does… [It’s] one of this summer’s most emphatic arguments in favor of the big screen experience. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Simply put, Twisters wears its Big Summer Movie heart on its sleeve. The score is rousing and righteous, the star power at times overwhelming to look at directly (to clarify, Powell walking through a downpour in a white T-shirt serves absolutely no narrative purpose). — Beth Webb, Empire Magazine

(Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon/©Universal Pictures)

Does it do justice to the original?

Twisters outstrips Jan de Bont’s original blustery blockbuster for scale while keeping things shudderingly immersive. You’ll emerge bruised and buffeted, and likely hoping it’s not another 28 years until we twist again. — Jamie Graham, Total Film

Whether or not it lives up to it might depend on your personal connection to – and nostalgia for – the original movie. But Twisters still delivers where it counts with thrilling huge-scale set pieces which are very wet and very windy. — Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

Much like its predecessor, this rousing and surprisingly romantic gust of multiplex fun spins a strange combination of genres into a conventionally satisfying ride. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire

It’s not nearly as good. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety

How is the action?

You won’t be disappointed with the spectacle on offer with Twisters . — Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

Anyone coming to Twisters primarily for the tornado action will likely enjoy the ride. — David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

The film’s climactic tribute to the original’s drive-in sequence would likely have been this year’s best action sequence if Furiosa hadn’t decided to crawl under an oil tanker two months ago. — Clarisse Loughrey, Independent

Twisters delivers a hugely entertaining and engaging white-knuckle ride unlike no other and I would honestly be surprised to see a better action movie this side of Christmas. — Linda Marric, HeyUGuys

What about the special effects?

Props must first and foremost go to the formidable CGI team for creating such visually stunning and terrifyingly realistic tornado sequences. — Linda Marric, HeyUGuys

The extent to which all this is conjured with a digital paintbox lessens the pulse-quickening awe of nature at its most destructive. — David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

It’s rare to see a summer blockbuster where the special effects are so inextricable from the emotion, but it stands to reason that everything in this one should be swirled together like that. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Will fans of Minari find things to appreciate here?

Director Lee Isaac Chung handles the character beats with grace, retaining some of the heart and detail he brought to indie charmer Minari . — Jamie Graham, Total Film

Chung’s indie sensibilities shine through, infusing the blockbuster spectacle with a nuanced exploration of human resilience and the intricate relationship between people and nature. — Linda Marric, HeyUGuys

There’s a part of Twisters that feels expected from director Lee Isaac Chung, the man behind the tender, observant 2020 immigrant drama Minari . Real, tangible communities lie in the path of devastation, yet there’s such a feeling of solidarity and resilience in the air that it lends an otherwise chaos-dictated disaster spectacle a surprising touch of hopefulness. — Clarisse Loughrey, Independent

There is nothing in [ Minari ]… to suggest that Chung was going to pivot to special effects-driven action-adventure pictures. But sometimes talent is talent, no matter the genre. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly

How are the performances?

Daisy Edgar-Jones is excellent… Powell here shows he can add more layers still behind his movie star charm. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

Powell’s charisma is turned way up in Tyler’s cocksure swagger and in the unapologetic egomania fed by his social media fame. — David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

Anyone expecting the sly, charismatic Powell we saw in Hit Man will be sorely disappointed. — Damon Wise, Deadline Hollywood Daily

And the writing?

As a whole, Twisters’ script boasts an enjoyable narrative with tight pacing, solid tension, and emotional moments that land. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

Though Twisters’ screenplay is silly, the characterization is played straight… there’s a ton of technobabble that you have to take on faith, but Jones and Powell do more than sell it; they make it compelling. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly

Mark L. Smith’s screenplay settles into a routine pattern in which one whirlwind follows another with too little incremental buildup. — David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

It shares the previous film’s main flaw, which is that it doesn’t really have a plot – it just has bland characters driving into bad weather, over and over again. — Nicholas Barber, BBC.com

Is the movie too ridiculous?

Twisters revels in a let’s-not-take-this-too-seriously vibe… Though Twisters’ screenplay is silly, the characterization is played straight. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly

Any major complaints?

The many terrific supporting actors don’t get much time to shine… My guess is that a few group scenes got cut. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly

Twisters’ biggest vice is a woeful misuse of Ramos’ Javi in a way that suggests they didn’t quite know how to make the character fit. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

A braver film might have admitted that addressing the causes of extreme weather might be more useful than throwing nappies at it. — Nicholas Barber, BBC.com

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Here’s What Is Known About the Suspect Who Tried to Assassinate Trump

Authorities identified the gunman as a 20-year-old man from Bethel Park, a town about an hour’s drive from the site of the shooting.

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By Campbell Robertson ,  Jack Healy ,  Katie Benner and Adam Goldman

• July 14, 2024 Updated 11:14 a.m. ET

The 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald J. Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania lived in a relatively affluent suburb in the hills south of Pittsburgh, about an hour’s drive from the site of the rally.

The neighborhood in Bethel Park where the shooter, identified by the F.B.I. as Thomas Matthew Crooks, grew up is “pretty firmly middle class, maybe upper-middle class,” Dan Grzybek, who represents the area on the county council, said in an interview on Sunday.

Mr. Grzybek briefly met the gunman’s parents last year when he was canvassing for his run. He did not recall the exact conversation, but he remembered they seemed pleasant and were open to hear his platform.

The gunman was a registered Republican, his mother was a Democrat and his father a Libertarian, a fairly typical mix for the area, Mr. Gryzbek said.

“You’ve got a large spattering of different backgrounds and ideals, and definitely have a lot of mixed households in Bethel Park,” he said.

Former F.B.I. officials said the bureau’s behavioral analysis unit would try to build out a profile of the gunman to understand his motivations and why he decided to carry out the attempted assassination. The F.B.I., which is running the investigation, will cast a wide net, interviewing friends and family members and scouring the internet for clues he might have left online or in a journal.

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