21 (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
21 is a 2008 drama film
directed by Australia
n director Robert Luketic
and stars Jim Sturgess
, Kevin Spacey
, Laurence Fishburne
, Kate Bosworth
, Liza Lapira
, Jacob Pitts
, and Aaron Yoo
. The film is inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team
as told in Bringing Down the House
, the best-selling book by Ben Mezrich
. Despite its largely mixed reviews and controversy over the film's casting choices, 21 was a box office success, and was the number one film in the United States and Canada during its first and second weekends of release.
senior math major Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess
) is accepted into Harvard Medical School
but cannot afford the $300,000 cost. Despite a 44 MCAT
score and top grades, Ben faces a fierce competition for the prestigious Robinson Scholarship that would pay entirely for the medical school. The director tells him that the scholarship would go to the student who would dazzle him.
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT), professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey
) challenges Campbell with the Monty Hall problem, which he solves successfully. After looking at Campbell's score on his latest non-linear equations paper, on which he got 97%, Rosa invites Campbell to join his blackjack team
, which consists of fellow students Choi, Fisher, Jill, and Kianna. Despite being told by Rosa that he had already gotten into the Harvard Medical School, Ben refuses to join the team on the premise he had been promoted at his job. Next day, Jill visits Ben at his job and attempts to coax him, hence Ben joins the team that evening. The system involves card counting
and the team is split into two groups. "Spotters" play the minimum bet and keep track of the count. They send secret signals to the "big players", who place large bets whenever the count at a table is favorable. Campbell reluctantly joins the team, telling Rosa he is only doing so until he can pay for medical school.
Rosa takes the team to Las Vegas
over many weekends; Campbell comes to enjoy his luxurious lifestyle as a "big player
" there. His performance impresses Jill—who develops a mutual attraction with him—and Rosa, but Fisher becomes jealous of Campbell's blackjack success. Rosa kicks a drunken Fisher off the team after he insults Campbell and incites a melee. Meanwhile, security chief Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne
) monitors the blackjack team, particularly Campbell.
Campbell, distracted by blackjack, does not complete his part of a project for an engineering competition, estranging him from his pre-blackjack friends. During the next trip to Vegas, an emotionally distracted Campbell continues playing even after he is signaled to walk away, losing $200,000. An angry Rosa leaves the team and demands that Campbell repay him for the loss. Campbell and his three remaining teammates agree to go into business for themselves; Williams, however, apprehends Campbell, beats him up, then lets him go after a dire warning.
Campbell learns that he has been given an incomplete for one of his classes and therefore will not graduate, and that his winnings have been stolen from his dorm room. He suspects that Rosa is behind the events but has no evidence. Campbell reconciles with his friends and Jill, and approaches Rosa with an offer: he and the team will hit Vegas for one more attempt before the casinos install biometric software that will quickly identify card counters, as long as Rosa—once a very successful "big player"—also plays.
Disguised, the team returns to Planet Hollywood
and wins $640,000 before fleeing with their chips from Williams and his men. Campbell and Rosa split up, with Rosa taking the bag of chips. Rosa escapes with the intention of stealing the winnings, but finds his bag is full of chocolate coins
and that the casino manager is in his car's front seat.
Williams, the casino manager, had made a deal with Campbell after beating him up; he would let Campbell come to Vegas for one night to make a lot of money in exchange for Rosa, who years earlier cost Williams his casino job by winning a large sum by counting cards. After capturing Rosa, Williams confronts Campbell and demands at gunpoint the bag of chips for his retirement; after giving up the money, Campbell rejoins his friends and pre-blackjack friends, who have, in fact, been counting all night themselves. The movie closes with Campbell recounting the entire tale to a "dazzled" Harvard director.
, Chinatown
, People's Republik in Cambridge, and the Christian Science Center in Boston, Massachusetts. As MIT did not allow filming on campus, the MIT school and dorm interiors, the gymnasium, and the alumni reception were all shot at Boston University
.
reported that 35% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 160 reviews. Metacritic
reported the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 29 reviews.
By the end of its theatrical run, the film grossed a total of $157,802,470 worldwide — $81,159,365 in the United States and Canada and $76,643,105 in other territories, against a budget estimated at $35 million.
, upon which the film 21 is based, were mainly Asian-Americans.
Jane Willis
, on whom the character "Jill Taylor" is based, said in an interview that it was obvious early on that the studio wasn’t interested in staying true to Ben Mezrich
’s book. Although race and gender were key to the dynamic of the MIT group, and Ma recruited her to "give the team, which was mostly Asian and male, a little diversity," the studios originally wanted her character left out. They wanted an all white male cast with one Asian girl as a love interest and in another interview, this was also confirmed by Mezrich. Nick Rogers of The Enterprise
wrote "The real-life students mostly were Asian-Americans, but 21 whitewashes its cast and disappointingly lumps its only Asian-American actors (Aaron Yoo and Liza Lapira) into one-note designations as the team's kleptomaniac and a slot-playing "loser."
Supporters of the decision to cast Jim Sturgess as Ben Campbell claim that producers simply sought the best actor for the job, regardless of race. Ultimately, this meant passing over many Asian-American talents in favor of London-born Jim Sturgess, who required a dialect coach to speak with an American accent.
Jeff Ma
, who was the real-life inspiration for the character Ben Campbell and served as a consultant on the film, was accused of being a "race traitor
" on several blogs for not insisting that his character be Asian American. In response, Ma said, "I'm not sure they understand how little control I had in the movie-making process; I didn't get to cast it." Ma said that the controversy was "overblown" and that the important aspect is that a talented actor would portray him. Ma, who is Chinese American
, told USA Today
, "I would have been a lot more insulted if they had chosen someone who was Japanese or Korean, just to have an Asian playing me."
The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) reported on their web site: "After the ‘white-washing’ issue was raised on Entertainment Weekly’s web site, [21] producer Dana Brunetti
wrote: "Believe me, I would have LOVED to cast Asians in the lead roles, but the truth is, we didn’t have access to any bankable Asian-American actors that we wanted."
and Blu-ray
in Region 1 on July 22, 2008
.
might hurt their bottom line. A featurette included with the DVD completely and accurately describes the "Hi-Lo" system used by the MIT Blackjack Club and by Rosa's team in the film.
In fact, the writers were surprised when told by the producers that MGM Studios would finance the film, though all "MGM" casinos (including one used by the real MIT Blackjack Team) are owned by MGM Mirage
and are no longer related to MGM Studios. In reality, as another DVD featurette reveals, the casinos (including MGM Mirage) saw the film as an attention-getter; people who saw it would be encouraged to go to Vegas and play, attempting to count cards, when in reality the film withheld critical details (such as the conversion from the "base count" to a "true count"), and in any case, although the counting system is simple, it is more difficult to successfully make money at counting cards than the film portrays.
Other tracks
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n director Robert Luketic
Robert Luketic
Robert Luketic is an Australian film director. He directed the films Monster-in-Law, Legally Blonde and 21.-Early life:...
and stars Jim Sturgess
Jim Sturgess
James Anthony "Jim" Sturgess is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His breakthrough role was appearing as Jude in the musical romance drama film Across the Universe .-Early life:...
, Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
, Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
, Kate Bosworth
Kate Bosworth
Catherine Ann "Kate" Bosworth is an American actress. Bosworth starred in the television series Young Americans, in which she played Bella Banks. She became known with a leading role in 2002's Blue Crush. The following year, Bosworth played the teenage girlfriend of porn star John Holmes in...
, Liza Lapira
Liza Lapira
Liza Lapira is an American actress best known for playing Kianna in the 2008 film 21 and Special Agent Michelle Lee in NCIS. She is also known for her role as Maggie Del Rosario on Huff.-Life and career:...
, Jacob Pitts
Jacob Pitts
Jacob Pitts is an actor. His most notable performance was in the film EuroTrip as Cooper Harris. He appeared in the play Where Do We Live at the Vineyard Theatre in May 2004...
, and Aaron Yoo
Aaron Yoo
-Personal life:Aaron Yoo was born in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey to Korean parents. He has an older sister. He played the cello for the East Brunswick High School orchestra and ran track...
. The film is inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team
MIT Blackjack Team
The MIT Blackjack Team was a group of students and ex-students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, and other leading colleges who used card-counting techniques and more sophisticated strategies to beat casinos at blackjack worldwide...
as told in Bringing Down the House
Bringing Down the House (book)
Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions is a book by Ben Mezrich about a group of MIT card counters commonly known as the MIT Blackjack Team. While represented as non-fiction by Mezrich and Free Press, the book contains significant fictional elements...
, the best-selling book by Ben Mezrich
Ben Mezrich
Ben Mezrich is an American author from Princeton, New Jersey. He graduated magna-cum-laude with a degree in Social Studies from Harvard University in 1991. Some of his books have been written under the pseudonym Holden Scott. Mezrich attended Princeton Day School, in Princeton, New Jersey...
. Despite its largely mixed reviews and controversy over the film's casting choices, 21 was a box office success, and was the number one film in the United States and Canada during its first and second weekends of release.
Plot
MITMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
senior math major Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess
Jim Sturgess
James Anthony "Jim" Sturgess is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His breakthrough role was appearing as Jude in the musical romance drama film Across the Universe .-Early life:...
) is accepted into Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
but cannot afford the $300,000 cost. Despite a 44 MCAT
Medical College Admission Test
The Medical College Admission Test is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective medical students in the United States and Canada. It is designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, written analysis, and writing skills in addition to knowledge of scientific concepts and...
score and top grades, Ben faces a fierce competition for the prestigious Robinson Scholarship that would pay entirely for the medical school. The director tells him that the scholarship would go to the student who would dazzle him.
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT), professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
) challenges Campbell with the Monty Hall problem, which he solves successfully. After looking at Campbell's score on his latest non-linear equations paper, on which he got 97%, Rosa invites Campbell to join his blackjack team
MIT Blackjack Team
The MIT Blackjack Team was a group of students and ex-students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, and other leading colleges who used card-counting techniques and more sophisticated strategies to beat casinos at blackjack worldwide...
, which consists of fellow students Choi, Fisher, Jill, and Kianna. Despite being told by Rosa that he had already gotten into the Harvard Medical School, Ben refuses to join the team on the premise he had been promoted at his job. Next day, Jill visits Ben at his job and attempts to coax him, hence Ben joins the team that evening. The system involves card counting
Card counting
Card counting is a casino card game strategy used primarily in the blackjack family of casino games to determine whether the next hand is likely to give a probable advantage to the player or to the dealer. Card counters, also known as advantage players, attempt to decrease the inherent casino house...
and the team is split into two groups. "Spotters" play the minimum bet and keep track of the count. They send secret signals to the "big players", who place large bets whenever the count at a table is favorable. Campbell reluctantly joins the team, telling Rosa he is only doing so until he can pay for medical school.
Rosa takes the team to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
over many weekends; Campbell comes to enjoy his luxurious lifestyle as a "big player
High roller
A high roller, also referred to as a whale in the casino industry, is a gambler who wagers large amounts of money. High rollers often receive lavish "perks" from casinos to lure them onto the gambling floors, such as free private jet transfers, limousine use and use of the casinos' best suites...
" there. His performance impresses Jill—who develops a mutual attraction with him—and Rosa, but Fisher becomes jealous of Campbell's blackjack success. Rosa kicks a drunken Fisher off the team after he insults Campbell and incites a melee. Meanwhile, security chief Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
) monitors the blackjack team, particularly Campbell.
Campbell, distracted by blackjack, does not complete his part of a project for an engineering competition, estranging him from his pre-blackjack friends. During the next trip to Vegas, an emotionally distracted Campbell continues playing even after he is signaled to walk away, losing $200,000. An angry Rosa leaves the team and demands that Campbell repay him for the loss. Campbell and his three remaining teammates agree to go into business for themselves; Williams, however, apprehends Campbell, beats him up, then lets him go after a dire warning.
Campbell learns that he has been given an incomplete for one of his classes and therefore will not graduate, and that his winnings have been stolen from his dorm room. He suspects that Rosa is behind the events but has no evidence. Campbell reconciles with his friends and Jill, and approaches Rosa with an offer: he and the team will hit Vegas for one more attempt before the casinos install biometric software that will quickly identify card counters, as long as Rosa—once a very successful "big player"—also plays.
Disguised, the team returns to Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, previously known as The Aladdin, is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip, in the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada, United States. Westgate Resorts operates the condo portion of the property, known as PH Towers by Westgate.Planet Hollywood is owned by Caesars...
and wins $640,000 before fleeing with their chips from Williams and his men. Campbell and Rosa split up, with Rosa taking the bag of chips. Rosa escapes with the intention of stealing the winnings, but finds his bag is full of chocolate coins
Chocolate money
Hanukkah gelt refers to money as well as chocolate coins given to Jewish children on the festival of Hanukkah. The word gelt means money in Yiddish. In addition to being given on Hanukkah, chocolate coins are a popular Christmas present as well.-Money:...
and that the casino manager is in his car's front seat.
Williams, the casino manager, had made a deal with Campbell after beating him up; he would let Campbell come to Vegas for one night to make a lot of money in exchange for Rosa, who years earlier cost Williams his casino job by winning a large sum by counting cards. After capturing Rosa, Williams confronts Campbell and demands at gunpoint the bag of chips for his retirement; after giving up the money, Campbell rejoins his friends and pre-blackjack friends, who have, in fact, been counting all night themselves. The movie closes with Campbell recounting the entire tale to a "dazzled" Harvard director.
Cast
- Jim SturgessJim SturgessJames Anthony "Jim" Sturgess is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His breakthrough role was appearing as Jude in the musical romance drama film Across the Universe .-Early life:...
as Ben Campbell from Northern Beaches, Bayview, the main protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
and a MIT student who cannot afford the considerable tuition for Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
, and so he joins the blackjack team. Before long, Ben falls in love with blackjack and turns greedy, sending him on a downward spiral. - Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
as Professor Micky Rosa, the brilliant statistics professor who leads the blackjack team. - Kate BosworthKate BosworthCatherine Ann "Kate" Bosworth is an American actress. Bosworth starred in the television series Young Americans, in which she played Bella Banks. She became known with a leading role in 2002's Blue Crush. The following year, Bosworth played the teenage girlfriend of porn star John Holmes in...
as Jill Taylor, Ben's love interest and a member of the team. - Laurence FishburneLaurence FishburneLaurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
as Cole Williams, a security chief who is determined to bring down Ben and his new friends after they win at the casino. He is considered the main antagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
in the film. - Aaron YooAaron Yoo-Personal life:Aaron Yoo was born in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey to Korean parents. He has an older sister. He played the cello for the East Brunswick High School orchestra and ran track...
as Choi, Ben's sidekick and a member of the blackjack team, first bought the large amount of chocolate coins. - Liza LapiraLiza LapiraLiza Lapira is an American actress best known for playing Kianna in the 2008 film 21 and Special Agent Michelle Lee in NCIS. She is also known for her role as Maggie Del Rosario on Huff.-Life and career:...
as Kianna, a member of the team. - Jacob PittsJacob PittsJacob Pitts is an actor. His most notable performance was in the film EuroTrip as Cooper Harris. He appeared in the play Where Do We Live at the Vineyard Theatre in May 2004...
as Fisher, a member of the team that was kicked out for recklessness. - Jack McGee as Terry.
- Josh GadJosh GadJoshua “Josh” Gad is an American film-, television-, and stage-actor best known for playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon and the role of Ryan Church in the television series Back to You. Gad has also appeared in episodes of ER, The Daily Show, Modern Family...
as Miles Connoly, Ben's best friend. - Sam GolzariSam GolzariSam Golzari is a British actor of Iranian descent active in the United States. He is known for his debut role in American Dreamz.Golzari was born in Hammersmith, London, England, to parents of Persian origin...
as Cam Azazi, Ben's friend. - Helen Carey as Ellen Campbell, Ben's mother.
- Jack GilpinJack GilpinJack Gilpin is an American actor.Gilpin had a recurring role on the TV series Kate & Allie, and is a frequent Law & Order guest star, having appeared in all three series – Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent...
as Bob Phillips. - Spencer GarrettSpencer GarrettSpencer Garrett is an American actor who has appeared in television programs, television films, films, and a few blockbuster productions like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Public Enemies, and Air Force One....
as Stemple. - Jeff MaJeff MaJeff Ma or was a member of the MIT Blackjack Team in the mid 1990s. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy. He attended MIT where he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1994. He was the basis for the main character of the book Bringing Down the House and the film 21...
(as Jeffrey Ma) as Planet Hollywood Dealer Jeff (the person whom the story was based on).
Production
The filming of 21 began in March 2007. Principal filming of the Las Vegas scenes took place at the Planet Hollywood Casino, the Red Rock Casino, and the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas. Filming also took place at Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
, Chinatown
Chinatown, Boston
The only historically Chinese area in New England, Chinatown, Boston is a neighborhood located in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Centered on Beach Street, the neighborhood borders Boston Common, Downtown Crossing, the South End, and the Southeast Expressway/Massachusetts Turnpike.Part of it...
, People's Republik in Cambridge, and the Christian Science Center in Boston, Massachusetts. As MIT did not allow filming on campus, the MIT school and dorm interiors, the gymnasium, and the alumni reception were all shot at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
.
Critical response
21 received poor reviews from critics. The review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 35% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 160 reviews. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reported the film had an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 29 reviews.
Box office
In its opening weekend, the film grossed $24,105,943 in 2,648 theaters in the United States and Canada, averaging $9,103 per venue and ranking first at the box office. The film was also the number one film in its second weekend of release, losing 36% of its audience, grossing $15,337,418, expanding to 2,653 theaters, and averaging $5,781 per venue. The film dropped to third place in its third weekend, losing 32% of its audience, grossing $10,470,173, expanding to 2,736 theaters, and averaging $3,827 per venue. By the fourth weekend it fell to sixth place, losing 47% of its audience, grossing $5,520,362 expanding to 2,903 theaters, and averaging $1,902 per venue.By the end of its theatrical run, the film grossed a total of $157,802,470 worldwide — $81,159,365 in the United States and Canada and $76,643,105 in other territories, against a budget estimated at $35 million.
Casting controversy
Controversy arose over the decision to make the majority of the characters white, even though the main players in the book Bringing Down the HouseBringing Down the House (book)
Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions is a book by Ben Mezrich about a group of MIT card counters commonly known as the MIT Blackjack Team. While represented as non-fiction by Mezrich and Free Press, the book contains significant fictional elements...
, upon which the film 21 is based, were mainly Asian-Americans.
Jane Willis
Jane Willis
Jane Willis is a partner at Ropes & Gray. While studying at Harvard, she had a reputation as a mathematical wiz, and was recruited into the MIT Blackjack Team. The book Bringing Down the House and film 21 are both based on the team's exploits. Willis is a character in both the book and film, where...
, on whom the character "Jill Taylor" is based, said in an interview that it was obvious early on that the studio wasn’t interested in staying true to Ben Mezrich
Ben Mezrich
Ben Mezrich is an American author from Princeton, New Jersey. He graduated magna-cum-laude with a degree in Social Studies from Harvard University in 1991. Some of his books have been written under the pseudonym Holden Scott. Mezrich attended Princeton Day School, in Princeton, New Jersey...
’s book. Although race and gender were key to the dynamic of the MIT group, and Ma recruited her to "give the team, which was mostly Asian and male, a little diversity," the studios originally wanted her character left out. They wanted an all white male cast with one Asian girl as a love interest and in another interview, this was also confirmed by Mezrich. Nick Rogers of The Enterprise
The Enterprise (Brockton)
The Enterprise is an afternoon daily newspaper published in Brockton, Massachusetts, United States. The newspaper is considered a newspaper of record for Brockton and several suburban communities of northern Bristol and Plymouth counties, and southern Norfolk County, Massachusetts...
wrote "The real-life students mostly were Asian-Americans, but 21 whitewashes its cast and disappointingly lumps its only Asian-American actors (Aaron Yoo and Liza Lapira) into one-note designations as the team's kleptomaniac and a slot-playing "loser."
Supporters of the decision to cast Jim Sturgess as Ben Campbell claim that producers simply sought the best actor for the job, regardless of race. Ultimately, this meant passing over many Asian-American talents in favor of London-born Jim Sturgess, who required a dialect coach to speak with an American accent.
Jeff Ma
Jeff Ma
Jeff Ma or was a member of the MIT Blackjack Team in the mid 1990s. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy. He attended MIT where he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1994. He was the basis for the main character of the book Bringing Down the House and the film 21...
, who was the real-life inspiration for the character Ben Campbell and served as a consultant on the film, was accused of being a "race traitor
Race traitor
Race traitor is a pejorative reference to a person who is perceived as supporting attitudes or positions thought to be against the interests or well-being of their own race...
" on several blogs for not insisting that his character be Asian American. In response, Ma said, "I'm not sure they understand how little control I had in the movie-making process; I didn't get to cast it." Ma said that the controversy was "overblown" and that the important aspect is that a talented actor would portray him. Ma, who is Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
, told USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, "I would have been a lot more insulted if they had chosen someone who was Japanese or Korean, just to have an Asian playing me."
The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) reported on their web site: "After the ‘white-washing’ issue was raised on Entertainment Weekly’s web site, [21] producer Dana Brunetti
Dana Brunetti
Dana Brunetti is an American film producer. He is currently president of Trigger Street Productions, which was founded by the actor Kevin Spacey in 1997, and Founder of .-Production Work:...
wrote: "Believe me, I would have LOVED to cast Asians in the lead roles, but the truth is, we didn’t have access to any bankable Asian-American actors that we wanted."
Home media
21 was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
in Region 1 on July 22, 2008
.
Reaction from casinos
In pre-production, the producers and the book's original writers predicted that the Vegas casinos would be unhelpful, as a film that told viewers the basics of card countingCard counting
Card counting is a casino card game strategy used primarily in the blackjack family of casino games to determine whether the next hand is likely to give a probable advantage to the player or to the dealer. Card counters, also known as advantage players, attempt to decrease the inherent casino house...
might hurt their bottom line. A featurette included with the DVD completely and accurately describes the "Hi-Lo" system used by the MIT Blackjack Club and by Rosa's team in the film.
In fact, the writers were surprised when told by the producers that MGM Studios would finance the film, though all "MGM" casinos (including one used by the real MIT Blackjack Team) are owned by MGM Mirage
MGM Mirage
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.MGM Resorts International is a Paradise, Nevada based corporation that brands itself as a global hospitality company. It is the second largest gaming company in the world by revenue - about...
and are no longer related to MGM Studios. In reality, as another DVD featurette reveals, the casinos (including MGM Mirage) saw the film as an attention-getter; people who saw it would be encouraged to go to Vegas and play, attempting to count cards, when in reality the film withheld critical details (such as the conversion from the "base count" to a "true count"), and in any case, although the counting system is simple, it is more difficult to successfully make money at counting cards than the film portrays.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released at the same time as the film.- The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
—"You Can't Always Get What You WantYou Can't Always Get What You Want"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by The Rolling Stones released on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Written primarily by Mick Jagger with assistance from Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone in its 2004 list of "500 Greatest Songs of All...
" (Remixed by SoulwaxSoulwaxSoulwax, headed by David and Stephen Dewaele, are an alternative rock/electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Next to the Dewaele brothers, Soulwax consists of bassist Stefaan Van Leuven and drummer Steve Slingeneyer. They were first noticed after the release of their album Much Against Everyone's...
) (6:07) - MGMTMGMTMGMT is an American alternative rock band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio...
—"Time to PretendTime to Pretend-Reception:"Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes." – Kevin O'Donnell, Rolling Stone...
" (Super Clean Version) (4:20) - LCD SoundsystemLCD SoundsystemLCD Soundsystem was a prominent American dance-punk band from New York City. It was fronted by American singer-songwriter and producer James Murphy, co-founder of record label DFA Records...
—"Big Ideas" (5:41) - D. Sardy featuring Liela Moss—"Giant" (3:42)
- Amon TobinAmon TobinAmon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin , known as Amon Tobin, is a Brazilian musician, composer and producer of electronic music. He is described as a virtuoso sound designer and is considered to be one of the most influential electronic music artists in the world...
—"Always" (3:38) - Peter Bjorn and JohnPeter Bjorn and JohnPeter Bjorn and John are a Swedish indie rock band, formed in Stockholm in 1999 and named after the first names of the band's members: Peter Morén , Björn Yttling and John Eriksson .They are best known for the 2006 single "Young Folks", which...
—"Young FolksYoung Folks"Young Folks" is the first single from Peter Bjorn and John's third album, Writer's Block . The single features Victoria Bergsman of The Concretes as a guest vocalist.-Reception:...
" (4:37) - Junkie XLJunkie XLTom Holkenborg , better known as Junkie XL or JXL, is a Dutch musician. He uses the name JXL in cases where the term "Junkie" might cause offense. XL is for "Xpanding Limits"....
featuring ElectrocuteElectrocute (band)Electrocute is a Los Angeles-based electro rock band. Nicole Morier, from Albuquerque New Mexico, USA, founded the band with former member "Mia Dime" in Berlin, Germany in 2002...
—"Mad Pursuit" (4:16) - Get Shakes—"Sister Self Doubt" (4:22)
- The AliensThe AliensThe Aliens are a Scottish band consisting of former Beta Band members Gordon Anderson , John Maclean and Robin Jones...
—"I Am The Unknown" (5:27) - RihannaRihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
—"Shut Up And DriveShut Up and Drive (Rihanna song)"Shut Up and Drive" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . Released as album's second single, the song was solicited to the US radios on June 12, 2007 and was physically released on August 27, 2007 in the United Kingdom...
" (3:34) - Knivez Out—"Alright" (3:31)
- DominoDomino (band)Domino is a pop/rock band from New York City. The lead singer is Domino Kirke, daughter of Free/Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke. Bandmate Jordan Galland first heard Kirke sing in a SoHo karaoke bar...
—"Tropical Moonlight" (3:28) - UnkleUNKLEUnkle are a British musical outfit founded in 1994 by school friends James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy. Originally categorized as trip-hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and have employed a variety of guest artists and producers.-First incarnation :Lavelle and Goldsworthy were joined...
—"Hold My Hand" (4:58) - Mark RonsonMark RonsonMark Daniel Ronson is an English DJ, guitarist, music producer, artist and co-founder of Allido Records. He currently works with his band under the music alias of Mark Ronson & The Business Intl....
featuring Kasabian—"L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)L.S.F."L.S.F." is the second single released by British rock group Kasabian. The song earned the band their first UK Top 10 hit, peaking at # 10 and staying in the Top 75 for 5 weeks...
" (3:32) - BroadcastBroadcast (band)Broadcast are an electronic music band, founded in Birmingham, England. Original members were Trish Keenan , Roj Stevens , Tim Felton and James Cargill . Various drummers played with the band, including Keith York, Phil Jenkins, Jeremy Barnes, Steve Perkins, and Neil Bullock...
—"Tender ButtonsTender ButtonsTender Buttons is the third and final studio album by the British band Broadcast. It was released by Warp Records on September 19, 2005 in the UK, one day later in the United States...
" (2:51) - Peter, Bjorn & John—"Young FolksYoung Folks"Young Folks" is the first single from Peter Bjorn and John's third album, Writer's Block . The single features Victoria Bergsman of The Concretes as a guest vocalist.-Reception:...
" (4:37)
Other tracks
- Although it is not included in the soundtrack, MobyMobyRichard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
's "Slippin' Away" (Axwell Vocal Remix) plays in the scene when Ben is passing through airport security. - The song "Everybody Get Dangerous" by WeezerWeezerWeezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
was also featured in the film, but not included on the soundtrack since it was not yet released. It would later be released on Weezer's new record, The Red Album. It is played on a distant radio when the team is in a poker club. - The songs "I Want You to Want MeI Want You to Want Me"I Want You to Want Me" is a song by Cheap Trick which first appeared on their second album In Color in 1977. It was the first single released from that album but it didn't chart in the US. However, it was a #1 single in Japan...
" by Cheap TrickCheap TrickCheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
and "Music is Happiness" by The Octopus ProjectThe Octopus ProjectThe Octopus Project is an American indietronica band based in Austin, Texas, active since 1999. Its unique sound, blending pop and experimental elements, is a combination of digital and electronic sounds and noises and analog equipment...
were also featured in the film but not on the soundtrack album. - The song "MagnificentShine (Estelle album)Shine is the second album by hip hop singer Estelle. The album was released on 31 March 2008 with the lead single, "Wait a Minute ", released in November 2007. The second single, "American Boy" featuring Kanye West reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on downloads alone and was released...
" by EstelleEstelle (singer)Estelle Fanta Swaray commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as Est'elle, is an English R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.-Early Life:Estelle was born 18 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, England...
(feat. Kardinal OffishallKardinal OffishallJason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
) was also featured in the film but not on the soundtrack album. It's played approximately 58 minutes in, after the Weezer song, in the scene where Ben buys Jill a beer. It's subtle, and has a reggae beat. - In the promotional trailers, "Break on Through (To the Other Side)Break on Through (To the Other Side)"Break on Through " is a song by The Doors from their debut album, The Doors. It was the first single released by the band and was unsuccessful compared to later hits, reaching only #126 in the United States...
" by The DoorsThe DoorsThe Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
was used. - During the restaurant scene where the team explains to Ben how they work, "Home" by Great NorthernGreat Northern (band)Great Northern is a rock group from Los Angeles composed of lead vocalist/keyboardist Rachel Stolte, guitarist Solon Bixler , bassist Matt Roveto, and drummer Justin Rocherolle...
can be heard playing in the background. - The song "Again with the Subtitles" by Texas artist YppahYppahYppah is an electronic/rock band consisting primarily of Joe Corrales Jr., and is currently signed to Ninja Tune records. He resides in Long Beach, California.-Eighty One:Corrales announced that his upcoming album, entitled 'Eighty One', is complete...
is another uncredited song in the film. - The track played as the team makes off at the end of the film is "Rito a Los Angeles" by Giuseppe De LucaGiuseppe de LucaGiuseppe De Luca , was a famous Italian baritone who achieved his greatest triumphs at the New York Metropolitan Opera...
, which features part of the main riff of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". This track is also used in Ocean's TwelveOcean's TwelveOcean's Twelve is a 2004 American crime comedy film, the sequel to 2001's Ocean's Eleven. Like its predecessor, which was a remake of the 1960 film Ocean's 11, the film used a celebrity ensemble cast. It was released in the United States on December 10, 2004. A third film, Ocean's Thirteen, was...
, the first sequel to the caper film Ocean's ElevenOcean's Eleven (2001 film)Ocean's Eleven is a 2001 American comedy-crime caper and remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper film of the same name. The 2001 film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and features an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Andy García, and Julia Roberts. The film was...
, about actually robbing casinos in Vegas.
External links
- MIT Alumnus and Busting Vegas Author Describe Experience of Beating the House
- Photos of the filming of 21 near the campus of MIT: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Official world wide release dates with links to different national sites