MOVIE REVIEW: 21

"Vegas, baby, Vegas!" As I watched "21," Robert Luketic's caper, which plays like a cross between "Stand and Deliver" and "Ocean's Eleven," I was struck by how often this line from the cult classic "Swingers" pops up in film and television. It has become so familiar that many probably quote it without even realizing its origin.

It has become a trademark of Las Vegas, and I think that is because these three simple words evoke the anticipation and excitement that the city holds. Bright and alluring, flashy and intoxicating, it is a world all its own, and, as it has been said to death, what happens there, stays there. It is largely this setting that gives the formulaic and implausible - but ultimately enjoyable - "21" an extra burst of energy.

Jim Sturgess, who wooed the hearts of women with his singing in "Across the Universe," plays Ben Campbell, a gifted MIT student who has dreamed of attending Harvard Medical School since he was a boy. The only problem is he needs $300,000 to pay for it.

That's where blackjack comes in.

Ben proves himself in one of his classes to be excellent with numbers and probabilities. His teacher, Micky Rosa, played by Kevin "I would watch him read the phone book" Spacey, recognizes Ben's gift and immediately recruits him to be a part of his elite card-counting team, which includes the beautiful Jill Taylor (played by Kate Bosworth - wouldn't it be great if all math geniuses looked like her?).

Ben is reluctant to join, but that hesitance does not last long, as anyone who has seen a glimpse of the trailer already knows (pretty hard to miss, as it seems to be the most advertised film since "Bee Movie"). Ben learns quickly and is soon swept up in the glamour and thrill of his new pastime.

It may already be plain to see that this movie follows a set of screenplay rules and conventions, and it is not difficult to determine that when Micky warns Ben of all the things he must not do while counting cards, he may as well be reading out a list of events that will soon occur. It is extremely predictable, and at the same time, several parts are quite implausible. I am sure that some will argue with me, saying that it is, in fact, based on a true story. To those people, I ask this: if the producers can change Jeff Ma, an Asian mechanical engineer (renamed Kevin Lewis in the book) to Ben Campbell, a white pre-med student, what else might they be willing to change?

Despite these flaws, the charisma of the cast, namely Sturgess, carries the film through much of its running time. Spacey, as usual, can turn in a fantastic performance in his sleep, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed that he would choose a part like this one. I'll be the first to say that every role for a great actor does not have to be an Academy Award winner, but the man is one of the finest performers of our time, and it has been nearly 10 years since he had a film role truly deserving of his talents.

The film also seems unsure of what to do with Laurence Fishburne. He simply watches the team from afar, throws a punch every so often, and mostly just rants about his job being stolen by a computer. Seriously, for a while, I began to think this was a message movie against the development of digital media.

The supporting cast, especially "Back to You's" Josh Gad as the token portly comic relief, induces a few chuckles and, while these characters may never become fully fleshed-out, they do keep us interested.

The film, in the end, does what it sets out to do, which is to entertain. It is a lot of light-hearted fun, and every Vegas scene has the dazzle and shine to keep one enthralled. While you may forget all about it in a month, it is an effective diversion for the time being, and with all the junk that is currently in theaters, you could do much worse than that.

Critic's rating: ** 1/2 (out of four)