Reviewed by Max Foizey.

Release Date: March 28, 2008
Directed By: Robert Luketic
Starring: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth
Rating: PG-13

"21" is based upon Ben Mezrich's book "Bringing Down the House" (No doubt they changed the title to avoid confusion with the Steve Martin/Queen Latifah epic), about six M.I.T. students who develop an intricate signaling system for counting cards which allows them to "beat" casinos at blackjack.

Casinos don't like card-counting, but it's not illegal. If they catch you they'll kick you out, but that's about it. It's like being loud in a movie theater. The 16 year old usher will kick you out, but he's not arresting you.

Before researching "21" I had no idea card-counting wasn't illegal. Even armed with this knowledge, I'm not good enough with math OR blackjack to head out to the boats to try my luck. But these kids were good enough, and their professor bet on it. Soon he was sending the kids to Chicago, L.A., and Atlantic City to reap the benefits of being a math whiz with shady ethics.

As hotshot Prof Micky Rosa, Kevin Spacey is more energetic than I've seen him in years. He's clearly having a great time with this role and story. His performance reminds me how good he can be, given the right script. Larry Fishburne (I can call him that, we go way back, isn't that right, Lar?) doesn't have much to do as Cole Williams besides look menacing, which is possibly why he decided to eat 1,000 manwiches before filming. Fish, I love you, but lay off the "Hungry Man" dinners, bokay? You're making Morpheus looks like a damn house.

I didn't like Aaron Yoo in "Disturbia," and I don't like him here. I hope his career stalls. Seriously. Dude is not talented. Thankfully, Kate Bosworth is. There's just something about Katie B. She's got believability most actresses would kill for. She sold me on her portrayal as star reporter Lois Lane in "Superman Returns," and she made a convincing Sandra Dee in the Bobby Darin biopic "Beyond the Sea," and I buy her as a cute, brilliant M.I.T. student in this film.

It's worth pointing out something else these films I've mentioned have in common: they all co-starred Kevin Spacey. It seems I'm not the only one who thinks Bosworth talented. I wonder if Spacey has a "Hire Kate" clause in his contracts these days?

I predict Jim Sturgess is going places. Most recently seen in Julie Taymor's "Across the Universe," Sturgess is excellent as Ben Campbell, a role I could have imagined Jake Gyllenhaal in a few years ago. But I probably should have pictured an ASIAN ACTOR instead, because for the most part our gamblers are based upon people who, in real life, are Asian-Americans. (Ben Campbell = Jeff Ma.)

So why did producers cast Anglos? On one hand, the race of these people doesn't matter as much as what they did, so I don't care that Caucasians were cast. On the other hand, the producers were probably concerned that audiences would stay away from a film with Asian leads, which is not only silly, but sad.

I don't see what's so enjoyable about watching peeps play cards on television (ranks right up there with watching golf) so I was worried this would be a boring film. Well thanks to dizzying camera moves, an electrifying cast and soundtrack, it's not. Director Robert Luketic does a good job making you feel like you’re going to the tables with these kids, that you're trying to pull one over on the croupiers, and that the dreaded Vegas enforcers on hot on your tail.

You can tell Luketic studied Scorsese’s "The Color of Money" for tips on how to shoot something that's boring and make it look kinetic. Watching the cards tumble in this film is almost as exciting as watching Newman and Cruise sink eight balls. But "Money" was a tough, adult film, and "21" is the exact opposite. A fun, slick movie that is as light as the popcorn you'll eat while watching it.

In addition to hosting 'Max on Movies' every Saturday at 2pm on 97.1 FM Talk, Max appears weekly on the Dave Glover Show Fridays at 5pm. A member of the Saint Louis Gateway Film Critics Association, Max has appeared on nationally syndicated radio shows, and written about film for various print and online media. "21" features one of the best soundtracks in years, featuring Kasabian, Unkle, and even a remix of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want." But if you try sometimes, you might find, you can cheat at cards. E-mail Max at mfoizey@stl.emmis.com