21 AND COUNTING!

Movie: 21

Rating: 3.75/5

What happens if you are a mathematical genius scoring outstanding grades, graduating from MIT, Boston , and have received admission in the neighboring prestigious Harvard Medical School only to find out that you are financially broke? That it costs a whopping $ 300,000 to bankroll admissions, and no educational loans are available? . The lone surviving parent has steadily accumulated her whole life earnings of $ 68,000, but even that is a tiny fraction . There is a slender hope though amidst the appalling gloom, says the HMS Dean. “ There is one scholarship available which can fund the whole study, but there are at least 25 other equally brilliant claimants, Mr Ben Campbell”.

Ben ( played with outstanding restrained maturity by young Jim Sturgess) looks helplessly on and then makes an earnest plea; Sir, I need the scholarship”. The Dean ( why is this academic animal usually so steely and surly universally, is a foxy mystery to me ) looks impassively on, and then throws him a daunting challenge;” Tell me a story, son. A life experience, something personal, something deep. And the scholarship is yours. But you have to leave me dazzled”. “ But I have done nothing so far, Sir. I have no experience, Sir, worth talking about”, pleads Ben plaintively. Thus far, yes.

Guided by their mercurial stats professor ( Kevin Spacey, one of my all-time favorites after that classic American Beauty act) , naturally calculating , a group of five smart whizkids come together to secretly specialize in the art of “ card-counting”. Ben is charmed and cajoled into joining this quixotic gang. Card-counting, a mental memory skill can help predict the next cards on the deck in that casino favorite ; blackjack. Obviously, millions remain to be won. So it’s destination sin city, Las Vegas. While for the rest it is easy week-end debauchery in glitzy five-star comforts, Ben , who becomes the key player, wants to save up for Harvard Med. Only he is completely clueless that someone is watching over them.

21 is engrossing fare, more so because it is based on a true-life story. It’s most poignant moment comes when Ben lies to his mother about his financial windfall. The script is young and peppy and full of sophomore sauce. Spacey is awesome ( as usual) as the astute schemer who finds himself isolated amongst his own pupils.

In the last scene, as Ben recollects his bizarre tale, he queries the disbelieving Dean;” Are you dazzled enough, now Sir?”.

You sure will be. And also discover , like Ben, what they do not teach you at Harvard Medical school.