2008 Woodie Awards
'21' is an exciting ride
By Adam Korman
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Entertainment
To go see a movie like "21" you have to think back to a time where Vegas wasn't a family friendly place, where it was just coming into the age where we are today, where cheating the casinos out of hundreds of thousands of dollars was nearly impossible.
This is the setting for the movie wittly entitled "21."
This small group of MIT students, who are mathematical geniuses, stroll into Las Vegas only a handful of times, but end up walking out of the casino with more money than anyone knows what to do with.
Jim Sturgess, from "Across the Universe," plays the mathematical genius Ben Campell who dreams of getting admitted into Harvard Medical School. Once he gets admitted to the school he runs into a bit of a snag involving money, an issue that many people have.
So he applies for a full ride through a scholarship that would admit him there.
A professor tells him that the only way he can get this scholarship is through his essay that needs to "Dazzle and jump off the page."
Ben never had much life experience since he was always focused on work and school. His intelligence is shown throughout the movie by his 1590 on the SAT's, 44 on the MCATs, and the one time you see him working, he does a customers total for sales in his head.
Still, he lacks the experience and this causes the main issue for this movie. As a student of MIT he takes courses that require an amazing amount of intellect, one of which taught by none other than Kevin Spacey.
Kevin Spacey plays the role of Mickey Rosa, who used to play blackjack and count cards. For some unknown reason, he stepped out while he was on top. When Mickey asks a question in class Ben is the first to answer, surprising his professor with such an astounding answer that he goes and looks at the test and realizes the intellect that Ben has.
One night while Ben is studying in the library he encounters a character who tells him to follow him down through the building to a darkened hallway where only one room has lights on.
This is the setting for the movie wittly entitled "21."
This small group of MIT students, who are mathematical geniuses, stroll into Las Vegas only a handful of times, but end up walking out of the casino with more money than anyone knows what to do with.
Jim Sturgess, from "Across the Universe," plays the mathematical genius Ben Campell who dreams of getting admitted into Harvard Medical School. Once he gets admitted to the school he runs into a bit of a snag involving money, an issue that many people have.
So he applies for a full ride through a scholarship that would admit him there.
A professor tells him that the only way he can get this scholarship is through his essay that needs to "Dazzle and jump off the page."
Ben never had much life experience since he was always focused on work and school. His intelligence is shown throughout the movie by his 1590 on the SAT's, 44 on the MCATs, and the one time you see him working, he does a customers total for sales in his head.
Still, he lacks the experience and this causes the main issue for this movie. As a student of MIT he takes courses that require an amazing amount of intellect, one of which taught by none other than Kevin Spacey.
Kevin Spacey plays the role of Mickey Rosa, who used to play blackjack and count cards. For some unknown reason, he stepped out while he was on top. When Mickey asks a question in class Ben is the first to answer, surprising his professor with such an astounding answer that he goes and looks at the test and realizes the intellect that Ben has.
One night while Ben is studying in the library he encounters a character who tells him to follow him down through the building to a darkened hallway where only one room has lights on.
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