21 (2008)

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I don’t give a damn what the critics say. I say 21 Rules! This movie’s got entertainment, good lookin’ girls, blackjack and Vegas, baby! I love that town! And this movie makes you wanna go there in a heartbeat. Sure Vegas isn’t always good to those who visit and test their luck but this true story movie would make you wanna… play on the edge a little. 21 gives sheer excitement. It’s engaging, it’s funny, it’s rowdy, it fulfills everything it promises and more.

Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) is the new rising star, a british actor who’s got what it takes to play with the big boys like Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne, who by the way deliver their A+ game as always.

Kate Bosworth though as pretty as she is, she reminds me a lot of a girl I know, which is not a bad thing.

But that’s not relevant.

This is Kate’s third movie with her mentor Kevin Spacey (Beyond the Sea, Superman Returns).

Some may say they’ve seen this all before. Yes I agree, the concept isn’t new or original. Other vegas gambling heist movies have done it but ya know what, it doesn’t seem to get old to me.

I’m not good at playing blackjack, let alone counting cards, due to my average math ability, but I really like this movie’s way of making it look interesting. The CSI-like visuals that take you up-close and personal with the chips. The angles of the camera moving swiftly much like The West Wing that gives you the feel of urgency and thrill at the same time.

I don’t mind the length span of the movie either which goes slightly over two hours because it takes enough time for character development and it doesn’t just jump into any scene without us understanding how it got there.

The twist ending wasn’t all that smart, in fact I think you could smell it coming a mile away but it still serves a satisfactory closure for those of us who like to see people get what they deserve.

I’m not a too familiar with the true story behind this movie. Some say 21 is preposterous because it’s inaccurate but hey, most based-on-a-true-story movies are inaccurate (A Beautiful Mind). The only way to make it right is to adjust it some other way, project it through a different vision/perspective and the filmmaker has definitely made this movie his own.

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