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[FILM] 21
I am sure some of you have felt the thrill of being in a casino or gambling, and when you win a few quid it makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Imagine if you could walk into a Casino and know you would win big, the only uncertainty would be how much!
This film is based on a book called “Bringing Down the House” and the book is based on true events, I have not read the book but am considering it after watching 21 the other night and finding it a very enjoyable film indeed. The film is set in around a college student Ben, who goes to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) he is one of the brightest students there and has been accepted in Harvard Medical where he could complete his dream and make it as a doctor, the problem being that the average cost of going there and living is about $300,000, Ben only has his mum and they are not a well off family so he has to apply for the Robinson Scheme which pays the way of one student. While being interviewed for this he is told he needs to dazzle the board who decide with some good life experience stories (the previous winner was a boy from China with one leg!). So Ben has to try find a way to make the money and pursue his dream, he works at a suit store for $8 an hour so that won’t get him very far.
While working hard studying and trying to earn money he is also involved with a science project that enables a car to drive by itself via satellite. Ben and his friends have worked on this for about a year. One evening after showing his brilliant mind during class to his teacher Micky Rosa, played by Kevin Spacey, he is asked to join a group of students who are part of a unique club. They are all intelligent and well organised with the ability to count cards in the game Blackjack. The group have devised a system to beat the Casino and win big money and with Ben being possibly the best person to do this. The film then goes through the ups and downs of Ben’s life and how money changes him and he neglects his friends.
It is rather predictable but there are a few surprises along the way which keep the film going. The nice thing about the film is that even if you know nothing about gambling you can sit down and enjoy this film. It explains everything you need to know but does not turn into a lesson on how to play blackjack. Instead it flows well through Ben’s experiences and the relationships he makes and breaks while trying to earn the money to go to Harvard. I did really enjoy this film and while my interests in Blackjack probably aided this I would suggest it to anyone.
Kevin Spacey throws in a good performance as expected and shows the different sides of Ben’s tutor very well, the whole cast have to be praised for the performance really, they all did their part in making it believable and exciting. Laurence Fishburne also plays a strong role in the film; the casino security guard with a darker side, treating those caught cheating to a savage beating out the back.
The nice thing about the film is that it keeps moving and never gets stale, it tells the story with a good cast and is enjoyable to watch for 90 minutes, and that is all you want from it. There are no special effects, no guns, just a solid plot with some subtle humour that creates a good film. It doesn’t push any boundaries and will never astound you but it is a good film which can be picked up rather cheap now, so I have to suggest you go pick this one up!
I am sure some of you have felt the thrill of being in a casino or gambling, and when you win a few quid it makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Imagine if you could walk into a Casino and know you would win big, the only uncertainty would be how much!
This film is based on a book called “Bringing Down the House” and the book is based on true events, I have not read the book but am considering it after watching 21 the other night and finding it a very enjoyable film indeed. The film is set in around a college student Ben, who goes to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) he is one of the brightest students there and has been accepted in Harvard Medical where he could complete his dream and make it as a doctor, the problem being that the average cost of going there and living is about $300,000, Ben only has his mum and they are not a well off family so he has to apply for the Robinson Scheme which pays the way of one student. While being interviewed for this he is told he needs to dazzle the board who decide with some good life experience stories (the previous winner was a boy from China with one leg!). So Ben has to try find a way to make the money and pursue his dream, he works at a suit store for $8 an hour so that won’t get him very far.
While working hard studying and trying to earn money he is also involved with a science project that enables a car to drive by itself via satellite. Ben and his friends have worked on this for about a year. One evening after showing his brilliant mind during class to his teacher Micky Rosa, played by Kevin Spacey, he is asked to join a group of students who are part of a unique club. They are all intelligent and well organised with the ability to count cards in the game Blackjack. The group have devised a system to beat the Casino and win big money and with Ben being possibly the best person to do this. The film then goes through the ups and downs of Ben’s life and how money changes him and he neglects his friends.
It is rather predictable but there are a few surprises along the way which keep the film going. The nice thing about the film is that even if you know nothing about gambling you can sit down and enjoy this film. It explains everything you need to know but does not turn into a lesson on how to play blackjack. Instead it flows well through Ben’s experiences and the relationships he makes and breaks while trying to earn the money to go to Harvard. I did really enjoy this film and while my interests in Blackjack probably aided this I would suggest it to anyone.
Kevin Spacey throws in a good performance as expected and shows the different sides of Ben’s tutor very well, the whole cast have to be praised for the performance really, they all did their part in making it believable and exciting. Laurence Fishburne also plays a strong role in the film; the casino security guard with a darker side, treating those caught cheating to a savage beating out the back.
The nice thing about the film is that it keeps moving and never gets stale, it tells the story with a good cast and is enjoyable to watch for 90 minutes, and that is all you want from it. There are no special effects, no guns, just a solid plot with some subtle humour that creates a good film. It doesn’t push any boundaries and will never astound you but it is a good film which can be picked up rather cheap now, so I have to suggest you go pick this one up!
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[FILM] 21
I am sure some of you have felt the thrill of being in a casino or gambling, and when you win a few quid it makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Imagine if you could walk into a Casino and know you would win big, the only uncertainty would be how much!
This film is based on a book called “Bringing Down the House” and the book is based on true events, I have not read the book but am considering it after watching 21 the other night and finding it a very enjoyable film indeed. The film is set in around a college student Ben, who goes to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) he is one of the brightest students there and has been accepted in Harvard Medical where he could complete his dream and make it as a doctor, the problem being that the average cost of going there and living is about $300,000, Ben only has his mum and they are not a well off family so he has to apply for the Robinson Scheme which pays the way of one student. While being interviewed for this he is told he needs to dazzle the board who decide with some good life experience stories (the previous winner was a boy from China with one leg!). So Ben has to try find a way to make the money and pursue his dream, he works at a suit store for $8 an hour so that won’t get him very far.
While working hard studying and trying to earn money he is also involved with a science project that enables a car to drive by itself via satellite. Ben and his friends have worked on this for about a year. One evening after showing his brilliant mind during class to his teacher Micky Rosa, played by Kevin Spacey, he is asked to join a group of students who are part of a unique club. They are all intelligent and well organised with the ability to count cards in the game Blackjack. The group have devised a system to beat the Casino and win big money and with Ben being possibly the best person to do this. The film then goes through the ups and downs of Ben’s life and how money changes him and he neglects his friends.
It is rather predictable but there are a few surprises along the way which keep the film going. The nice thing about the film is that even if you know nothing about gambling you can sit down and enjoy this film. It explains everything you need to know but does not turn into a lesson on how to play blackjack. Instead it flows well through Ben’s experiences and the relationships he makes and breaks while trying to earn the money to go to Harvard. I did really enjoy this film and while my interests in Blackjack probably aided this I would suggest it to anyone.
Kevin Spacey throws in a good performance as expected and shows the different sides of Ben’s tutor very well, the whole cast have to be praised for the performance really, they all did their part in making it believable and exciting. Laurence Fishburne also plays a strong role in the film; the casino security guard with a darker side, treating those caught cheating to a savage beating out the back.
The nice thing about the film is that it keeps moving and never gets stale, it tells the story with a good cast and is enjoyable to watch for 90 minutes, and that is all you want from it. There are no special effects, no guns, just a solid plot with some subtle humour that creates a good film. It doesn’t push any boundaries and will never astound you but it is a good film which can be picked up rather cheap now, so I have to suggest you go pick this one up!
I am sure some of you have felt the thrill of being in a casino or gambling, and when you win a few quid it makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Imagine if you could walk into a Casino and know you would win big, the only uncertainty would be how much!
This film is based on a book called “Bringing Down the House” and the book is based on true events, I have not read the book but am considering it after watching 21 the other night and finding it a very enjoyable film indeed. The film is set in around a college student Ben, who goes to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) he is one of the brightest students there and has been accepted in Harvard Medical where he could complete his dream and make it as a doctor, the problem being that the average cost of going there and living is about $300,000, Ben only has his mum and they are not a well off family so he has to apply for the Robinson Scheme which pays the way of one student. While being interviewed for this he is told he needs to dazzle the board who decide with some good life experience stories (the previous winner was a boy from China with one leg!). So Ben has to try find a way to make the money and pursue his dream, he works at a suit store for $8 an hour so that won’t get him very far.
While working hard studying and trying to earn money he is also involved with a science project that enables a car to drive by itself via satellite. Ben and his friends have worked on this for about a year. One evening after showing his brilliant mind during class to his teacher Micky Rosa, played by Kevin Spacey, he is asked to join a group of students who are part of a unique club. They are all intelligent and well organised with the ability to count cards in the game Blackjack. The group have devised a system to beat the Casino and win big money and with Ben being possibly the best person to do this. The film then goes through the ups and downs of Ben’s life and how money changes him and he neglects his friends.
It is rather predictable but there are a few surprises along the way which keep the film going. The nice thing about the film is that even if you know nothing about gambling you can sit down and enjoy this film. It explains everything you need to know but does not turn into a lesson on how to play blackjack. Instead it flows well through Ben’s experiences and the relationships he makes and breaks while trying to earn the money to go to Harvard. I did really enjoy this film and while my interests in Blackjack probably aided this I would suggest it to anyone.
Kevin Spacey throws in a good performance as expected and shows the different sides of Ben’s tutor very well, the whole cast have to be praised for the performance really, they all did their part in making it believable and exciting. Laurence Fishburne also plays a strong role in the film; the casino security guard with a darker side, treating those caught cheating to a savage beating out the back.
The nice thing about the film is that it keeps moving and never gets stale, it tells the story with a good cast and is enjoyable to watch for 90 minutes, and that is all you want from it. There are no special effects, no guns, just a solid plot with some subtle humour that creates a good film. It doesn’t push any boundaries and will never astound you but it is a good film which can be picked up rather cheap now, so I have to suggest you go pick this one up!