And it goes by very fast!!!!
So we were all 21 once upon a time, whats the big deal!! Hell, even I was 21 once upon a time. but for Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), this is one milestone he will not forget in a hurry. A graduate from MIT, he hopes, one day, to be a part of The Harvard Medical School. But he has no money for that. Based on his aptitude, his math teacher in MIT, sees profitable potential in making him part of a well-organised blackjack team that is designed to win everytime.
The movie starts slightly tamely but builds the momentum thoroughly and holds the viewer in awe of the fact that ‘Numbers are fun’!! Any college kid can identify with the problems faced by the lead act in this movie. But not everyone gets the chance to be a high roller at the age of 20. Being a boy of dreams and limited resources, he is dragged into being part of an illegal card counting team who rig blackjack games to win. Jill (Kate Bosworth) is desperate to bring back some sanity into Ben after he loses control and is sucked into the entire high roller system when he gets used to the good life; and Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey) gets his revenge on Ben, who degrades Mickey in front of the team, takes away the future he had so well-planned along with the money which was saved during his stint at being a high roller at Vegas
The movie nicely slides through the training; sharing with us a few tricks on beating the dealer at Blackjack (remind me when I go to Vegas, baby!!). I mean who knew counting could be so profitable. The movie is seemingly researched well, and traverses well through the motions of many levels for the lead actors.
Not having read the book is a disadvantage, but after seeing the movie, it is pretty certain that the movie and the book will see tremendous success here in the Indian market especially in the college / mid – late 20’s audience. The music is very well placed and does not overpower the movie.
See the trailer and my favorite scene below.
The official website is here whereas the Wiki site is here
My sincerest thanks to Sony Pictures for inviting me among other bloggers for this exclusive preview of the movie prior to its lauch in the Indian Market.
My prediction is that this movie will go well with the younger generation of college goers and young adults.