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July 9, 2008 7:03:43 AM CDT

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Is 21 Bad? Bet the Bank on It

Posted Mar 28, 08 9:57 AM CDT in Arts & Living    Most Covered

(Newser) – There’s a problem with 21, a movie based on a true story (and the book it inspired) about some MIT math nerds who set up an elaborate system to beat the house in Las Vegas. “None of the main stars is remotely convincing as a smart person,” writes Josh Bell of Las Vegas Weekly. And the storytelling is far from gangbusters, critics complain.

"The script gussies up what might have been an intriguing premise in a barrage of melodramatic clichés and an avalanche of visual effects and musical montages," writes Frank Swietek of One Guy's Opinion. In short, observes Kerry Lengel of the Arizona Republic: "This movie has about as much dramatic tension as a bingo match."

Sources Rotten Tomatoes, Las Vegas Weekly, One Guy's Opinion, Arizona Republic (Phoenix)

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From left, Jim Sturgess, Jacob Pitts, Liza Lapira, Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey star in "21."   (AP Photo/Sony Pictures, Peter Iovino)
Kate Bosworth, left, and Jim Sturgess try their luck in "21."   (AP Photo/Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peter Iovino)
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Official trailer for "21."   (WildgrassRd (YouTube))

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movie review  • Las Vegas  • gambling  • Kevin Spacey  • Kate Bosworth


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