Mediadads.com movie review

mediadads.com

Mediadads

                   21
                                R (2008)
                                Michael De Luca Productions

                                 Director: Robert Luketic
                                 Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth,
                                 Laurence Fishburne

Ben Campbell, (Jim Sturgess) needs $300,000 to go to medical school. His job in
a clothing store can't cover the tuition, but things start looking up when he is invited
to join a secret gambling class intent on winning millions in Las Vegas. Trading
their meager student lives for Las Vegas holidays, and lead by professor Micky
Rosa, (Kevin Spacey) the students learn how to work as a team to beat the system,
but when the casino's security man (Laurence Fishburne) closes in, the smartest
kids on the block find out there's more to the game than math.

Based on the true story of Jeff Ma and the math students from MIT who cracked the
game, 21 is a gambling thriller about brains, glory, and seduction. It is exciting,
top-quality stuff, except for the unaffected love scenes between Campbell and Jill
Taylor (Kate Bosworth), which seemed unemotional and staged. This is a minor
blemish, though, and there is plenty of drama, plot twisting, gut churning and
intrigue to go around.

While 21 is sure to boost weekend trips to Nevada, it's worth remembering that
these players were not gambling. They were using an elaborate system of signals,
table tracking, and card counting beyond the ability of most mortals. To mix a
couple of familiar media statements: Don't leave home to try this.

Fatherhood
There are no fathers in this movie. The fathers of the male and female leads are
dead, but beloved. Jill remembers quality time with her dad, playing blackjack at the
kitchen table after dinner every night, which she recalls warmly. Campbell has one
memory of his dad, which he recalls in a positive light. His loving mother says dad
would have been proud of his accomplishments at MIT. The absence of these two
men leaves their children open to what we refer to as The Evil Replacement, in this
case the calculating professor.

Final Review
Father friendly for positive memories about dead dads. Male positive in that the
male lead is basically good, and reverts to it after being lead astray.

Reviews                                                                                                               Back to top