Starring: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira Directed By: Robert Luketic Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: Blu-ray Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen Label: Sony Pictures Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: July 22, 2008 Running Time: 123 minutes Theatrical Release Date: March 28, 2008
Product Description: Inspired by the true story of MIT students who mastered the art of card counting and took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings. Looking for a way to pay for tuition Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) finds himself quietly recruited by MIT's most gifted students in a daring plot to break Vegas. With the help of a brilliant statistics professor (Kevin Spacey) and armed with fake IDs intelligence and a complicated system of counting cards Ben and his friends succeed in breaking the impenetrable casinos. Now his challenge is keeping the numbers straight and staying one step ahead of the casinos before it all spirals out of control.System Requirements:Running Time: 123 minutesFormat: BLU-RAY DISC Genre: DRAMA/BUDDIES Rating: PG-13 UPC: 043396215290 Manufacturer No: 21529
Amazon.com: An unconvincing exercise in moral complexity, 21 is based on Ben Mezrich's book Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions. Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) plays brilliant, blue-collar scholar Ben Campbell, whose doubts that he'll win a scholarship to Harvard Medical School compel him to join a secret, M.I.T. gang of math whiz kids. Under the silky but chilling command of a math professor (Kevin Spacey), Jim and the others master card counting, i.e., the statistical analysis of cards dealt in blackjack games. The team lives a humdrum existence during the week, but on weekends in Sin City, the students are rolling in cash, going to exclusive clubs, and feeling on top of the world. (Ben even gets the girl: a comely, fellow counter played by Kate Bosworth.) Despite all that success, Ben feels ethically compromised, and indeed director Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde), in the old tradition of American movies, plays it both ways where fun vices are concerned. On the one hand, it feels so good; on the other, ahem, we know it's wrong. That studied ambivalence proves wearing after a while, making the most interesting character in the film a casino watchdog played by Laurence Fishburne. A master at reading the emotions of gamblers beating the house with a scam, he's admirable for being good at his job, but repellent for wrecking the faces of counters in casino dungeons. He's all about moral complexity in the tradition of anti-heroes, and a truly provocative element in an otherwise superficial movie. --Tom Keogh
Has anyone ever heard of a student loan? This movie's fatal flaw is that it never addresses the obvious solutions to any of the myriad problems it poses. The question in my review title is hypothetical; I realize that if the main character had gotten a student loan for medical school, the plot wouldn't have been possible. However, the movie asks us to suspend disbelief far too many times, and in completely unrealistic ways. The idea of student loans is never even MENTIONED and we're supposed to believe that a smart MIT student like the one played by Jim Sturgess has no other way of paying for Harvard Med. If that's the case, how the hell did he pay for an expensive school like MIT in the first place? We're also supposed to believe that these smart people who KNOW they're being watched are intelligent enough to put on wigs (Though not the ethnic kids; I guess if you're not white it's assumed that no one could possibly remember your face anyhow.) but not to change their totally obvious hand signals. Then there's the part where we're supposed to believe that their otherwise cool and collected leader would change his mind about gambling just in time for a key plot twist strictly on the basis of a sixty second conversation. Oh and of course everything wraps itself up in a neat little bow.
In a way I'm biased, because I knew I would hate this movie from the moment it began. Sturgess is a likable enough actor, but his narration never worked for me. Throughout the movie he keeps repeating the phrase "Winner, winner chicken dinner" -- and even though he explains it, it makes about as much sense as any of the other plot holes in this crappy movie.
I don't care how big of a Kevin Spacey fan you used to be. There is no reason on earth to see this movie. Everything from the ending to the "twist" to the soundtrack is 100% predictable, and you (obviously) don't have to be an MIT student to figure it out.
great movie this movie was fantastic! i love jim sturgess in across the universe and he is equally amazing in this film. kevin spacey also does a spectacular job with his character
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner Based off the true story of the MIT kids who schemed their way through Vegas, 21, follows the shy, cute, genius, Ben Campbell (played by Jim Sturgess) through the ups and downs of gambling. His teacher Prof. Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) pushes him into joining an elite group of MIT students who have been taking trips to Vegas and winning thousands in black jack by counting cards.
Ben Campbell is trying to find a way to fund his new acceptance to Harvard Medical School, so he joins the team, and quickly finds himself stuffing thousands of dollars in his dorm room ceiling. In Vegas each of the members including Ben becomes their own character and enjoys the fabulous lifestyle of high gambles, partying, and even some high-end spending! Ben gradually works up the nerve to put the moves on his love interest, Jill Taylor (played by Kate Bosworth), and as soon as things are going good, like a good movie, things begin to fall apart. The money starts to get to some of the players, and eventually Ben. Also the strained relationships with his friends (who also don't know about his gambling), constantly traveling, etc., throw Ben for a loop. You also find out that professor Rosa isn't the most trustworthy of people to deal with.
I thought the movie was pretty entertaining, I never read the book, but heard about the story via CNN. Also Kevin Spacey is always great, and Jim Sturgess surprises with some decent acting. I was surprised when I found out he was actually British, you would never know from his accent in the movie. I wouldn't give it a four, because its not the best movie I've ever seen, but like i said, its pretty entertaining. I'd suggest picking it up if your having a slow night, it might surprise you!
21 - Blu-ray Info Version: U.S.A / Region-A MPEG-4 AVC BD-50 / BD-Java Enhanced / High Profile 4.1 Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 Running time: 2:02:41 Movie size: 36,13 GB Disc size: 46,49 GB Average video bit rate: 25.76 Mbps
Subtitles : English / English SDH / Chinese (Traditional) / Chinese (Simplified) / French / Indonesian / Korean / Portuguese / Spanish / Thai
Number of chapters: 16
#Audio Commentary #Theatrical Trailers (HD) #Featurette Basic Strategy: A Complete Film Journal (HD, 25 minutes) Money Plays: A Tour of the Good Life (HD, 7 minutes) 21: The Advantage Player (HD, 5 minutes) #Interactive Game: Virtual Blackjack
GREAT MOVIE! KEVIN SPACEY IS WONDERFUL! I gave this to someone and they said it was full of action and he loved Kevin Spacey. I am also a Kevin Spacey fan and I although I do not think this is his best part I always enjoy his acting. He brings different characters to life in a very unique way. My friend says see it.
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