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21 (2008)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
28 March 2008 (USA) moreTagline:
Inspired by the true story of five students who changed the game forever. morePlot:
"21" is the fact-based story about six MIT students who were trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
1 win & 4 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(4 articles)
21 Is No. 1 (From Studio Briefing. 31 July 2008, 10:38 AM, PDT)
Spacey Denies 'Diva' Claims
(From WENN. 22 June 2008, 7:06 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)more
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some violence, and sexual content including partial nudity.Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
123 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 moreCertification:
Australia:M | Finland:K-13 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Ireland:12A | Sweden:11 | UK:12A | Canada:14A (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | New Zealand:M | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #43290) | Iceland:12 | Germany:12 | South Africa:13V | Singapore:PG | Poland:15 | Brazil:14 | Italy:T | Greece:K-13 | Argentina:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Hong Kong:IIB | Taiwan:PG-12 | Malaysia:UMOVIEmeter: 
No change since last week
why?
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The movie was used as a luxury prize for the contestants on the Big Brother 9 in the US. They played a competition involving blackjack, and the winners got to see a special advance screening of the movie. One contestant won a trip to Las Vegas worth $21,000, which included a three night stay at the same hotel the actors from the movie stayed in. moreGoofs:
Continuity: When Ben is handed his earnings from the first night a five dollar bill is seen on the outside of the bundle. Moments later a $100 is on the outside. moreQuotes:
Philosophical Gambler: Yesterday's history, tomorrow's a mystery.Philosophical Gambler: It's all what you do in the moment, baby.
more
Soundtrack:
Time to Pretend moreFAQ
How did the casinos react to the book and upcoming movie?Did a security company from Las Vegas really tail them all over the country?
Is this movie based on a book?
more
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There are many stories about success based on hard-work and perseverance. There have also been many stories about success based on crime and abandonment of the law. Both of these scenarios can make for great movies -- but when a movie like 21 comes out, it's both great AND fresh. 21 is a movie about success based on locking in on a hole in the system, and exploiting it.
Card counting is legal, and anyone able to do so can take the house's edge away in a game of blackjack. That is the basic premise of 21: A team of intelligent students at MIT structure a team to make vast amounts of money at the blackjack table. They have everything down pat, from the counting to the signals to alert of suspicious casino workers (because if you can believe it, casinos don't like to lose money in such high amounts.) The movie portrays the situation stylishly, perfectly blending in montages and effective music when necessary. Add in some Hollywood "embellishment" such as a particularly harsh head of security (Laurence Fishburne), and you have the making of a good movie on your hands.
It is disappointing that the production team felt the need to re-assign the races of the actual MIT Team (of which the majority was Asian), but that's more of an issue of ethics and sociology. Don't let it ruin a perfectly good movie. Aside from this blunder, 21 is an excellent film.