Heist movies have been popular for quite a long time even though in the recent period their popularity is going down. One of the reasons for that is that the stories are similar and movie fans find them less exciting. When 21 was released back in 2008, it brought some freshness to this genre. This was not just another heist movie because it also included elements of drama and action.
The technical side of the movie
Technically, the movie is a mix of experience and youth. The director Robert Luketic, who is, by the way, an Australian film director, is best known for Legally Blonde and Monster-in-Law. These two movies have broken some records and made Luketic very popular. But, it seems that 21 was his last movie that made such impact. Yet, he managed to gather a nice team for his movie – Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, and few other actors that did their job well.
The story
One of the best things about 21 is the unique story which is by the way inspired by a true event. According to the people involved in the real story, the movie provides a good overview of the things that have happened in a realistic way.
21’s plot revolves around a group of students and their professor at MIT. They have created a Blackjack Team that has achieved tremendous success using advanced blackjack strategies. It’s worth mentioning that the movie is based on a popular book describing the same events called Bringing Down the House.
As we already said, Jim Sturgess in the role of Ben Campbell, an MIT math major, has applied and managed to get accepted into Harvard Medical School. This is a huge success for Ben, but unfortunately, he can’t find money to cover the enormous fees – around 300,000 dollars. He did well on the tests, but the competition is fierce and the only thing that can help him get a scholarship is a breathtaking essay.
At the same time, Ben’s professor at MIT Micky Rosa played by Kevin Spacey asks him to solve the Monty Hall problem and Ben has incredible results. That’s why the professor asks him to join the Blackjack Team. Ben is the fifth member of this team. This is not a regular team because instead of practicing different legal strategies, the team is focused on card counting. This is a system which involves a few players trying to help each other at the blackjack tables by providing different signals and counting cards.
The team is led by professor Rosa in Las Vegas many times. Ben soon realizes that life is more than learning. He can enjoy the luxurious and decadent life of many blackjack players in Las Vegas. Jill falls in love with Ben, but this doesn’t make Fisher happy. He did a mistake and the security caught Ben. This is when things start to go wrong. There are many unpleasant moments between different team members and Ben is always in the middle of these arguments. Yet, he has managed to get back in the game, re-establish his friendship with his colleagues and do what’s best for him. The story is told to the Harvard director.
Overall, this is a great movie packed with action and plot twists. Many people say that the drama elements are emphasized too much, but if you don’t mind that, you will probably like this movie. Visually, there are not many special effects, but the camera work is excellent. The music and sound have top quality and are perfectly suitable for this type of a movie. The soundtrack of 21 includes singles made by Rihanna, Peter Bjorn and John, Unkle, Domino and The Rolling Stones.
Those who are fond of casino movies as well as heist movies with a touch of drama will probably find 21 attractive.
