by Missy Thompson

GUEST COLUMNIST

My grandpa taught me how to play poker when I was 7 years old. We would go through a variety of games before losing all of our pennies to each other. Occasionally we would break out of the poker mindset and play a few hands of blackjack. I never was any good at the game, even though it is incredibly simple.

What my grandpa never taught me was how to count cards. I always wanted to figure out this trick, but never got the opportunity. This is the premise in the film "21," where five MIT students take control of Las Vegas casinos by winning millions in blackjack via card counting.

I really wanted this to be a good movie. I am a huge fan of Jim Sturgess, and Kevin Spacey is generally good in just about every role he has. Their performances in "21" are OK, but not what they could have been had the writing been better. The premise and plot are well executed during the first half of the film. Once Spacey's character is portrayed as the bad guy, however, the film takes a quick spiral downward.

Director Robert Luketic has generally directed "chick flicks" such as "Legally Blonde," "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" and "Monster-in-Law." "21" is not a chick flick by any standards. This dramatic film tries too hard to be funny in too few moments. It was almost as if there were two directors, one who directed a promising first hour and then one who did not seem to care and let the last hour reek of boredom.

I never thought a movie about gambling with Sturgess could be boring, but "21" is. With such an excellent first half, it was discouraging when the rest of the film went downhill. The fact that Sturgess exchanged his British accent for an American one also makes the film less intriguing.

In "21," Ben Campbell (Sturgess) is trying to get into medical school at Harvard University. Due to lack of means, he applies for a scholarship that would pay for the $300,000 needed to attend school. As a senior at MIT, Ben is at the top of his class and excels in many after-school activities. When his professor Micky Rosa (Spacey) finds him to be one of the most intelligent students he has ever taught, he lets Ben in on a secret club.

At first, Ben is reluctant to count cards and gamble on weekends in Las Vegas. But with no other way to earn enough money at his $8 an hour job at a men's clothing store, Ben gives in and quickly learns how to count without being caught. Four other students, Jill (Kate Bosworth), Choi (Aaron Yoo), Kianna (Liza Lapira) and Fisher (Jacob Pitts) are on the team and work together to earn as much money as they can.

In Las Vegas, a new face recognition system is being put in place, which leaves Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne) out of a job. For years Cole has been catching and identifying people who cheat the system. Now, with Micky taking the MIT students there every weekend, Cole suspects something is going on and is determined to catch the perpetrator.

"21" has a lot going for it but does not live up to expectations. However, it may cause more people to try card counting. And if that's the only thing you get out of a movie, it definitely is not worth it.

missy@tooeletranscript.com