21

21 (2008) (2008)

  • 36% of critics liked it
    (165 reviews)

  • 73% of users liked it
    (328,827 ratings)

Director Robert Luketic adapts Ben Mezrich's best-seller Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions to tell the true-life tale of six genius students who used their brains to beat considerable odds. Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) may be shy, but his… More

Play Trailer

PG-13,
Directed By
Written By
Peter Steinfeld, Allan Loeb
Genres
Mystery & Suspense, Drama
In Theaters
Mar 28, 2008 Wide
Sony/Columbia Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

    If only director Robert Luketic and screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb had not opted for glitz. As filmmakers, they're playing for very low stakes.

  • , Time Out

    The whizzo-conceit and slick visual bling do give it an undeniably diverting buzz, yet the movie's cautionary formula shows its hand way before the clunky final reel.

  • J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

    The students are so blandly written this never builds any suspense, though it probably has some value as an empowerment fantasy for debt-ridden collegians.

  • Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

    Although it's definitely a fictionalization of a true story, they get the essence of this insanely crazy double life that these kids led as they were breaking the bank in Vegas.

  • Jim Emerson, Chicago Sun-Times

    Inspired by the real-life story of the M.I.T. students who took Las Vegas casinos for millions, 21 has been reshaped to fit a simple movie template -- and it's nearly as much fun as watching an insurance professional compute actuarial tables.

Read all 18 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Sanjay R


    This movie just has so many points at which it should end, but it just keeps going and going and it isn't extremely interesting.

  • Eric A


    Gotta love any rags to riches story, and when it deals with gambling and counting cards it's even better. Overall, good fun movie.

  • Directors C


    [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] For a film that has a plot that could have really benefited from a darkly serious approach and a ensemble of blank faced actors for the characters "21" is almost too melodramatic to a fault. In terms… More

  • Anthony L


    And the award for most annoying collective cast of young people goes to.... Honestly, I'll let Jim Sturgess off slightly as he has redeemed himself since but watching the rest of the cast in this painful 'biased on a true story drama' nearly made me pull my hair out.… More

  • Martin S


    I think this movie was pretty impressive. It's a pretty advanced movie. Nice to see Kevin Spacey mentoring all theese young unknown actors.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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