21

21 is the fact-based story about six students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology who were trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.

21 tells the story of how a geek named Ben (Strugess), a genius when it comes to maths, becomes a blackjack crushing card counter.The plot begins with Ben, applying to go to Harvard Med School, but needing ‘life experience’ to get a grant to pay his fees. Professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) recruits Ben onto his undergrad blackjack team with Ben telling him he will stop after he has enough money to go to Harvard…

Ben falls for the gorgeous Jill (Bosworth) and the story continues with its fair share of rivalry, double-crosses and glam-violence, the results of which are obvious to all but the main characters.

Laurence Fishburne (who has put on some weight since The Matrix) plays a tough nut security consultant for the casino, Cole, who stops card counters the hard way. The final run in between Ben, the Professor and Cole is unsurprising but has a feel good factor that will please most cinema goers.

The film is based on the non-fiction bestseller by Ben Mezrich called Bringing Down the House. Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde, Win A Date With Tad Hamilton!) and his screenwriters preserve the excitement and a fair amount of the blackjack strategy. For those of you who are looking to start card counting to crush the casinos of Vegas, you may want to bear in mind that the technology in place to watch for card counting is much more sophisticated than that displayed in 21. Just a warning!

As director Luketic says, "MIT geniuses become rock stars. They're given the keys to Las Vegas." 21's pounding soundtrack - from The Rolling Stones to Rihanna - suggests Luketic means what he says. The music is ever-present, sometimes drowning out the dialogue it is meant to emphasise.

Although 21 is a slightly predictable rollercoaster of ups and downs it is a very enjoyable watch with a good blend of drama and excitement.

Adam Thomas