21

By Nathan Young

Gambling is one of the few ways to quickly generate a large sum of money. Unfortunately, there are even fewer ways to quickly lose money.

Find a way to guarantee victory, however, and you can find yourself rolling in cash. That is the jumping off point for '21', which is adapted from Ben Mezrich's bestselling nonfiction book 'Bringing Down The House'. The film is both entertaining and well-done, and is certainly worthy of a 'thumbs up'.

The story follows Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess of 'Across The Universe') as he struggles to come up with the money he needs to go to Harvard Medical School. A student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he stumbles across a group of students who count cards at Las Vegas blackjack tables on weekends. Under the tutelage of professor Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey), the students team up to beat the system and stockpile cash.

Ben is one of Mickey's students and catches the professor's eye after an impressive mathematical display in class. Ben is reluctant to sign up until team member Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth), a co-ed he has admired from afar, makes a convincing plea to join them. What follows is a master's class in deceit, greed and excess.

Screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb create a tightly woven script for director Robert Luketic. Luketic, more known for helming romantic comedies ('Legally Blonde', 'Win A Date With Tad Hamilton' and 'Monster-In-Law'), seamlessly transitions into the dramatic genre.

Whether it's the budding romance between Ben and Jill or a hilarious reference to the card counting by Dustin Hoffman's character in 'Rainman', the film finds a nice balance of dramatic and comedic elements, with a dash of mystery and suspense thrown in. The film, shot entirely on location, is also aided by the wonderful work of cinematographer Russell Carpenter. The opening scene of Ben riding his bike through Boston to get to school is awe-inspiring, as are the many shots of the pageantry and pomp of Las Vegas.

Not to be outdone by the magnificent off-camera work, the cast shines as well. Sturgess deftly handles Ben's progression from a shy overachiever into a person convinced of his own invincibility. Bosworth continues her pattern of fine work as Jill, even lending a Julia Roberts vibe to the proceedings during a flirtatious scene with Ben at a nightclub. Laurence Fishburne is perfectly cast as Cole Williams, the casino security person who won't rest until he catches and punishes Ben.

Spacey offers another piece of evidence that he is one of the finest actors alive. Mickey is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and Spacey strikes the perfect balance. A scene where he removes a member from the team for erratic behavior reminds everyone why he gets paid the big bucks.

This movie succeeds on every level. It refuses to be just another good film based on a true story. It rises above it's potential limitations to tell a compelling story in an entertaining way.