21

Year:

2008

Duration:

123 min

Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

IMDB rate:

6.8

Director:

Robert Luketic

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 2008-03-28

Filming Locations: Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Earnings

Budget: $35,000,000

Opening Weekend: $24,105,943 (USA) (30 March 2008)

Gross: $81,159,365 (USA) (18 May 2008)

Cast

Actor

Character

Jim Sturgess

Ben

Kevin Spacey

Micky Rosa

Kate Bosworth

Jill

Aaron Yoo

Choi

Liza Lapira

Kianna

Jacob Pitts

Fisher

Laurence Fishburne

Cole Williams

Jack McGee

Terry

Josh Gad

Miles

Sam Golzari

Cam

Helen Carey

Ellen Campbell

Jack Gilpin

Bob Phillips

Donna Lows

Planet Hollywood Dealer

Butch Williams

Planet Hollywood Dealer

Ben Campbell

Planet Hollywood Dealer Jeff (as Jeffrey Ma)

Frank Patton

Planet Hollywood Floor Manager

Steven Richard Vezina

Red Rock Dealer

Chaska T. Werner

Red Rock Dealer

Kyle Morris

Red Rock Dealer (as Kyle D. Morris)

Ernell Manabat

Red Rock Doorman

Frank DeAngelo

Red Rock Host (as Frankie De Angelo)

Marcus Weiss

Red Rock Valet

Anthony DiMaria

Hard Rock Doorman

Christopher Michael Holley

Philosophical Gambler

Scott Beringer

Big Shot

Terasa Livingstone

Russian's Girlfriend

Jeffrey J. Dashnaw

Russian Mafioso (as Jeff Dashnaw)

Colin Angle

Professor Hanes

Supriya Chakrabarti

Professor

Bradley Thoennes

Warren

Kieu Chinh

Chinese Woman (as Kieu-Chinh)

Alice Lo

Chinese Woman

Sally Levi

Chemistry Review Girl (as Sally Livingstone)

Henry Houh

Chinatown Dealer

Frank Chen

Chinatown Host

Spencer Garrett

Stemple

Celeste Oliva

Airport Screener

Tom McGowan

Husband

Ruby Hondros

Wife

Christian Mello

Drunk Dude

Gregory Seymore

Drunk Dude (as Greg Seymore)

Shaun Aponik

Harvard Medical Student (uncredited)

Finise Avery

Student

Ellen Becker-Gray

Mother at Robotics Competition (uncredited)

Fethi Bendida

Student

Chad Boldini

Student

Eric Bruno Borgman

Strip Club Patron (uncredited)

Patrick Canty

Robotics Guest (uncredited)

Fritz Ceriales

MIT Student

Chemi Che-Mponda

Hotel Maid (uncredited)

Sean Collins

MR Tillman Shopper (uncredited)

Desiree April Connolly

Patron at Doyle's Bar (uncredited)

Jeffrey Corazzini

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Michael Coryer

Gambler (uncredited)

Katie Curley

Audience Member Robotics Competition

Ramses Del Hierro Ericstam

Cole Thug (uncredited)

Kevin Deon

Security Guard (uncredited)

Sal DiMino

Train Passenger #1 (uncredited)

Will Dragan

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Benjamin Fisher

Basketball Player (uncredited)

Steve Flynn

Gambler (uncredited)

Thomas Michael Flynn

MIT Student

Victor Franko

Student

Tom Gilligan

Gucci Salesman (uncredited)

Trudi Goodman

Airport Traveler (uncredited)

Harley Harrison

MIT Student

Ty Izquierdo

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Seba Johnson

Airport Attendant (uncredited)

Christopher Jude

Blackjack Dealer (uncredited)

Lyralen Kaye

College Mom (uncredited)

Lee Kerr

Waiter (uncredited)

Lynn L'Heureux

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Crystal Lisbon

Student

Yulia Lilith Maceo

High-Roller (uncredited)

Rebecca Marshall

Hot Girl (uncredited)

Robert Masiello

Pedestrian (uncredited)

Alexandra McDougall

Student

Paul McGillicuddy

Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Andrew J McGuinness

College Student (uncredited)

Josh Mervis

MIT Student

Ron Murphy

Maintenance Man (uncredited)

Chris Palermo

Strip Club Patron (uncredited)

Giovanni Pantaleo

Robotics Guest (uncredited)

Bob Pepper

Craps Dealer (uncredited)

Americo Presciutti

Croupier (uncredited)

Eric Rollins

M.I.T. Student

Ben Samuels

Student

Rocky Self

Valet (uncredited)

Jessi Shuttleworth

Friend (uncredited)

Billy Silvia

Casino Security Team (uncredited)

Joe Sobalo Jr.

MIT Alumni Party Bartender (uncredited)

John Wayland Somers

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Stream

Featured Vegas Stripper / Parent at Harvard (uncredited)

David Struffolino

Pedestrian (uncredited)

A.J. Sullivan

Riviera Security Guard (uncredited)

Christopher Tranchina

Flight Attendent (uncredited)

Diana Urban

Student

Amanda Warnock

Subway Girl (uncredited)

Donald Warnock

MIT Alum (uncredited)

Mike Wendt

Ch. 6 Reporter (uncredited)

Kris Williams

Friend of Jill (uncredited)

Henry Fleming Wood

Planet Hollywood Dealer #3 (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

The sunglasses worn by Laurence Fishburne throughout the movie and at the end by the pool are Randolph Engineering Aviators.

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The small statue of a reclining nude, seen on the desk of the Harvard med Professor Bob Phillips during Ben's Robinson Scholarship interview, is by Venezuelan-born sculptor Maria Gamundi.

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The problem Prof. Rosa mentions in class with the three doors is known as the Monty Hall problem.

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Goofs

The first night the group gambles in Las Vegas they are in the Hard Rock Casino, however the table at which Ben gambles says "Red Rock Casino". When he switches tables it says "Hard Rock Casino."

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All the cards in the casino scenes have rounded corners opposite the index numbers, identifying them as used cards that have since been removed from use on the casino floor and altered so they can never be sneaked back into play.

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Jill says that she is "comped" a suite at the hard rock hotel, however as a counter/spotter she should only be making minimum bets, which wouldn't be enough to get a free suite out of a Vegas Hotel.

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Quotes

Jill Taylor: You know what I like most about Las Vegas? You can be whoever you want to be.

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Philosophical Gambler: Yesterday's history, tomorrow's a mystery.

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Cole Williams: You think you can beat the system? This *is* the system... beatin' you back!

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Faq

Q

How did the casinos react to the book and upcoming movie?

A

This seems to be a question many people ask. People seem to think the casinos are not thrilled with the movie and book. The opposite couldn't be more true: the casinos love it! So much so they allowed the 21 producers to film scenes for the movie in several Vegas casinos. It takes a big bank roll, much patience and most importantly great skill to count cards and even then you may not make a profit. The everyday person reading the book or seeing this movie who tries counting cards in a casino will lose over 95% of the time. The casinos welcome players like that and worst case for them, if you start to win too much money they can kick you out.

Q

Did they really go to Vegas on weekends to play blackjack?

A

Yes, in the book he talks about taking the early evening flight America West #66 out of Logan nonstop to Vegas. They would leave MIT as nerds and arrive in Vegas as high rollers. They would return on Sunday night in time for class Monday morning. They didn't go every weekend, but went very often.

Q

What deal did Cole cut with Mickey at the end?

A

It might have been that Mickey would give Ben a passing grade and Cole would not turn Mickey in to the IRS

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