"21" is an entertaining dramedy about a group college students (one of them being a mathematics major named Ben Campbell) and their professor. They devise a scheme to win a lot of money at casinos without technically cheating. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say the following, since it’s the Hollywood formula (and it’s made clear in this movie, which begins in media res): Things go as planned, but eventually, everything starts to fall apart. It’s quite simple, yet it goes on for 123 minutes. It could’ve easily been a half hour shorter, and it should’ve been. One of the irrelevant elements is a romantic subplot. You can’t even defend it as the emotional core of the story (that would be Ben’s relationship with his mother and his 2 best friends) or something sexy to sell to the masses (the characters’ connection isn’t that strong). The casting was controversial, because most of the actors are white, even though the real-life individuals that inspired the movie were mostly Asian. Perhaps you think that representation doesn’t matter as long as the actors do a good job. Assuming that were true, and assuming that Jim Sturgess’ performance weren’t weak, I don’t think it’s possible to ignore that while watching the movie. You see, Ben doesn’t like the fact that his salary can’t cover his expenses. He wants a scholarship so he doesn’t have to pay for his tuition. And not just any tuition, but freaking Harvard. Different adults at different moments tell him that, as a favor, he’ll receive passing grades without doing the work. In one scene, he claims that it’s not a big deal to lose money while gambling as long as it’s less than what he had won on previous occasions. How can I not think about privilege? And that leads me to another flaw: A remix of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones plays during the end credits, as if it were something that encapsulates what the audience had seen by that point. In reality, it represents the complete opposite of the plot. Bad things happen to Ben, but he never learns to deal with how unfair life can be. He never decides to lower his expectations and change his goals. He never learns how to place his focus on the good things in his life and appreciate them for being what he needs. Adding this song to the soundtrack, and especially in a way where it feels like the main theme, was such a misguided choice that it made laugh.

 

6/10