21

Quick setup, super-smart MIT student Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) is 'drafted' into a blackjack ring headed by Prof. Rosa (Kevin Spacey) and 4 other MIT students, who go on weekend jaunts to Las Vegas to win money. "Counting cards" is the method used for opportunistic blackjack play, and the team members are situated as spotters and players to get the best of a hot shoe in blackjack. Ben just wants to go to Harvard medical school, but needs either a full ride scholarship, or $300,000. The odds of winning the scholarship being greater than earning the money needed via blackjack is most of the impetus for Ben to join in on the fun, also having Jill (Kate Bosworth) in the mix and on the team didn't hurt the cause.

What follows is somewhat of a roller-coaster ride of the highs and lows of playing big and and betting recklessly. The film has a 4-act structure, and it languishes in between the 2nd and 3rd act, which causes the film to drag in spots, and feels about 10 minutes too long. Outside of some nifty tracking shots here and there, the direction didn't call attention to itself, and the script needed a little more polish (or a bit more editing to tighten it up).

I give it 2.75 stars or a grade of B-.