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21

  • 2008
  • PG-13
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
274K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,948
266
Kate Bosworth, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts, Jim Sturgess, and Aaron Yoo in 21 (2008)
Trailer for 21
Play trailer2:34
24 Videos
99+ Photos
True CrimeCrimeDramaThriller

Inspired by real events and people, 21 is about six MIT students who become trained to be experts in card counting in blackjack and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.Inspired by real events and people, 21 is about six MIT students who become trained to be experts in card counting in blackjack and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.Inspired by real events and people, 21 is about six MIT students who become trained to be experts in card counting in blackjack and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.

  • Director
    • Robert Luketic
  • Writers
    • Peter Steinfeld
    • Allan Loeb
    • Ben Mezrich
  • Stars
    • Jim Sturgess
    • Kate Bosworth
    • Kevin Spacey
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    274K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,948
    266
    • Director
      • Robert Luketic
    • Writers
      • Peter Steinfeld
      • Allan Loeb
      • Ben Mezrich
    • Stars
      • Jim Sturgess
      • Kate Bosworth
      • Kevin Spacey
    • 348User reviews
    • 137Critic reviews
    • 48Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 5 nominations total

    Videos24

    Trailer for 21
    Trailer 2:34
    Trailer for 21
    21
    Trailer 2:33
    21
    21
    Trailer 2:33
    21
    21
    Clip 0:54
    21
    21
    Clip 1:06
    21
    21
    Clip 0:48
    21
    21
    Clip 0:51
    21

    Photos132

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    + 126
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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Jim Sturgess
    Jim Sturgess
    • Ben
    Kate Bosworth
    Kate Bosworth
    • Jill
    Kevin Spacey
    Kevin Spacey
    • Micky Rosa
    Aaron Yoo
    Aaron Yoo
    • Choi
    Liza Lapira
    Liza Lapira
    • Kianna
    Jacob Pitts
    Jacob Pitts
    • Fisher
    Laurence Fishburne
    Laurence Fishburne
    • Cole Williams
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • Terry
    Josh Gad
    Josh Gad
    • Miles
    Sam Golzari
    Sam Golzari
    • Cam
    Helen Carey
    Helen Carey
    • Ellen Campbell
    Jack Gilpin
    Jack Gilpin
    • Bob Phillips
    Donna Lows
    • Planet Hollywood Dealer
    Butch Williams
    • Planet Hollywood Dealer
    Jeff Ma
    • Planet Hollywood Dealer Jeff
    • (as Jeffrey Ma)
    Frank Patton III
    Frank Patton III
    • Planet Hollywood Floor Manager
    • (as Frank Patton)
    Steven Richard Vezina
    • Red Rock Dealer
    Chaska T. Werner
    • Red Rock Dealer
    • Director
      • Robert Luketic
    • Writers
      • Peter Steinfeld
      • Allan Loeb
      • Ben Mezrich
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews348

    6.8274.2K
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    Featured reviews

    8Lechuguilla

    "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner"

    Slick camera work and some good performances rev up the technical quality of this fact-based story about a 21 year old MIT student named Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) who, along with his brainy Ivy League chums, travels to Vegas to win tons of money at the blackjack tables. Their sleazy math professor, Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey), leads the group. Rosa has devised an elaborate and conspiratorial card counting scheme that consists of code words and hand gestures. With all that preparation, the group's scheme does work ... for a while. And in the process, the shy, cautious Ben, who only wants the money for tuition costs, morphs into his alter ego, a person quite unlike his original self.

    The film's pace starts off leisurely, then alternates between fast-paced Vegas casino action and periods of downtime wherein Ben and his girlfriend, fellow conspirator Jill (Kate Bosworth), talk shop and take in the high life. The story does have a villain, but it may not be who you think it is.

    The script's dialogue is snappy and hip, and contains minimal tech jargon. "Variable change" is one such math term, and it has thematic implications toward the end, as the story twists and turns in ways that may surprise you. And "winner winner, chicken dinner" is the group's lingo for gambling success.

    Production design is realistic and lavish; this is a big budget film. Color cinematography, by DP Russell Carpenter, is polished and slick. There are lots of elaborate camera dissolves and close-ups. The best parts of the film are the close-ups of the characters at the blackjack tables. Film editing coincides with plot pacing, and ranges from slow to super fast. Acting is all-around good. Kevin Spacey gives his usual topnotch acting job; Sturgess and Bosworth also give fine performances.

    It's not a perfect film. Background music was noisy and rather nondescript for my taste. And I could have wished for more card playing, and less time spent on Ben's college buddies in the first Act; the result is that the film gets off to a slow start. Still, the script is credible, and stays close to its book source "Bringing Down The House" by Ben Mezrich.

    Thematically relevant in today's world of greed and materialism, "21" is a terrific film, one that has greater import than other films, because the events in "21" really happened. And the fine performances and polished visuals enhance the overall look and feel, to create a film that is both engaging and entertaining.
    Gordon-11

    Adequate to kill time

    This film is about a group of mathematical geniuses trying to make lots of money from Las Vegas by playing Black Jack.

    The start of "21" is too slow, and I think they could have cut out a lot of scenes to make the pace quicker. Black Jack is a fast pace game, but the film does not give that pressing pressure during the game. I would also have liked to know why everyone in the team is in this business venture, but the film only explains why Ben is in. This would give the other members of the team more development and depth. In the film, Kianna and Choi are nothing more than mannequins that give signals one in a while. It's a pity that their characters are not explored.

    Though they explain the communication codes well, they have not explained the points system that is central to the whole plot. I was so lost about those +15 and +16's that it killed my enjoyment.

    It's also annoying that they keep going to the same casino, which causes their downfall. If they were so smart, why did they not think about this?
    7Floated2

    Interesting take on a unique genre

    21 (2008) tells the true based story of a shy yet educated college student in need of a large sums of cash, within the heavy intent of becoming an amateur cards player. Also starring Kevin Spacey as he features as the dissolute professor who recruits the brightest minds at MIT to count cards for guaranteed profit. Only human error can break the winning streak.

    21 stars Jim Sturgess as Ben Campbell. The film happens quickly and precise as the important moments of the film are present in a quiet manner. Ben immediately stands out in a class taught by statistician Mickey Rosa (Spacey), but when Mickey offers him the chance to win untold riches in the game of blackjack, Campbell declines on principle. It's only time will tell when fellow classmate Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth) and the steeply-rising price of college education, that Ben gets on board with the crew. 21 is seemingly interesting and entertaining but there appears to be several small flaws or parts that are rushed or not executed well. Altogether this film is quality for a one time watch.
    8madciderhead-1

    much better than you would expect!!

    I was lucky enough to see this film for free at a special screening in greater London as part of a market research by the film industry. even though it was free i would have paid good money to see that film. but I was presently surprised about how good the film was and everyone seemed to agree that the film was really good. I thought it made the card playing parts actually riveting even though i am not a card player myself. i thought the acting performances were all good especially that of Kevin Spacey's. In terms of the story. In many ways it reminded me of all the good things that was in the BBC TV show hustle. But in a much more real way. On the down side, you may see the ending coming and there is a romance part of the film that feels unnecessary. However it is a very slick film that gets away with it. I would say that it clearly the best film in this genre of film. I enjoyed it more than films such as Confidence and the Oceans 11 type films. I would highly recommend it to anybody when it eventually comes out in April!! I would have thought that they would cut down and re-edit it a bit on the basis that it was quite long. however it kept my attention for the whole film and that is not something that is also done during these sorts of films
    7JustCuriosity

    Good, but not Great

    This film screened at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX. It is a reasonable well-made based-on-a-true-story film that tells the story of a group of MIT students who attempt to make a fortune counting cards in Vegas. The screenplay apparently plays pretty fast-and-loose with the version told in the book. Never-the-less, the acting is excellent - especially Jim Sturgess in the role of the lead student. Honestly, his accent was so good that I didn't realize - until he came on stage afterward - that he was British. He does a great job with the mannerisms to give you a real sense of the character's evolution. Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne are solid - although Fishburne's role is fairly small. The minor characters are not as well-developed as they could have been. The cinematography of both Boston and Las Vegas is quite good, especially on the big screen. It's an interesting story, but they could have edited down a bit to make it move a little quicker. This is a good film, but it probably could have been a lot better.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Although set in the then-present day, i.e. 2007/8, the film is based on teams active between 1979 and 1994. And at one point, more than 80 players were on the original MIT team.
    • Goofs
      When Micky knows Cole Williams is pursuing him, why did he continue to go Las Vegas to win money and count cards? The amount of money that can be won, the casino rules of Black Jack and the mathematics of card counting are the same in other casinos located in Atlantic City, Reno, and other casinos located throughout America.
    • Quotes

      [Cole Williams confronts Micky for the first time again]

      Ben Campbell: [narrating, when we see Micky tied up in the basement of the casino] I had a 1590 on my SAT. I got a 44 on my MCATs. And I have a 4.0 GPA from MIT. I thought I had my life mapped out. But then I remembered what my Nonlinear Equations professor once told me, always account for variable change.

      Cole Williams: [Cole Williams walks out of the shadows] Hello, Micky.

      Micky Rosa: Look, I got money in Boston. A hundred grand. I'll give it to you. If you just let me walk away. I'll walk away.

      Cole Williams: I don't want your money, Micky. I don't need it. But I know someone who might be interested. He's good with numbers, too. He works for the IRS.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Horton Hears a Who!/Never Back Down/10,000 B.C./Funny Games/Paranoid Park/Conspiracy (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Time to Pretend
      Written by Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser

      Performed by MGMT

      Courtesy of Columbia Records

      By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment

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    FAQ38

    • How long is 21?Powered by Alexa
    • Is '21' based on a book?
    • Okay, this is based on a true story. So when did the real story take place?
    • Who are the real people behind the characters in the book and movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 28, 2008 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Sony Pictures (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 21 - The Movie
    • Filming locations
      • Caesars Palace - 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Relativity Media
      • Trigger Street Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $81,159,365
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $24,105,943
      • Mar 30, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $159,808,370
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 3 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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