21Movie Reviews

Poster art for "21."

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Avg. Critic Score: 48 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
14 Iffy for 14+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    21 drags itself to a climax that puts credulity in splints. So what? In a multiplex of dumb-luck hits, it's a kick to watch Spacey and a gifted young cast use smarts to deal audiences a winning hand. Read full review

  • 75
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    The fun of 21 is the way that this sharp, hyperaware star in the making, his face as readable as a mood ring, pours us into an adrenalized cocktail of fear, desire, and mental buzz. Read full review

  • 70
    The Hollywood Reporter |

    Escapist moviegoers happy to live out a flashy fantasy get a brief comeuppance and still walk away from the table with a little something in their pockets. Read full review

  • 70
    Variety | Joe Leydon

    Picture shrewdly shuffles together attractive young leads, cagey screen vets and a fantasy-fulfillment scenario in a slickly polished package that should appeal to anyone who's ever dreamed of beating the odds. Read full review

  • 50
    San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalle

    A movie with an irresistible premise that ultimately collapses around the whole issue of motivation. Until it does, this is a thoroughly entertaining picture. Read full review

  • 50
    Los Angeles Times | Kevin Crust

    What might have been a complex story dealing with greed and high-stakes betrayal among the young intellectual elite in America's gaming playground is instead treated as a slick, glossy romp. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    While not exactly a zero, 21 lags and fails to measure up dramatically. Read full review

  • 50
    Wall Street Journal |

    Very little adds up in 21. Read full review

  • 40
    Washington Post | Desson Thomson

    The story may be based on real events, but most of it feels patently false. Read full review

  • 40
    The New York Times | Manohla Dargis

    Greed is good and comes without a hint of conscience in 21, a feature-length bore about some smarty-pants who take Vegas for a ride. Read full review

View more reviews for 21 on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 14+ Breezy Vegas con film fun, with some iffy stuff.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this breezy, fact-based drama about college students who use their math skills to count cards in Las Vegas may appeal to teens thanks to stars like Jim Sturgess (of Across the Universe) and Kate Bosworth. That said, the subject matter is pretty serious, and there are some fairly violent scenes -- a security officer punches counters with a closed, ring-bedecked fist -- as well as lots of smoking, drinking, swearing, and, of course, gambling. The students also meet up post-gambling at a strip club, and there are plenty of cleavage shots and some passionate clinches.
  • Families can talk about Ben's decision to gamble as a means to an end. Was he right? Is it ever OK to bend the rules to accomplish something? Since it's not technically illegal to count cards, why is it so frowned upon? Do you think it's cheating or just a clever use of math skills? Is it easier to justify something like card counting if you're taking money away from a casino instead of a person? Does the movie glamorize Las Vegas and gambling? What do you think casinos are like in real life?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: The students involved in the scheme are aware that what they're doing isn't necessarily playing by the rules, and they seem quite attracted to the rush. They also happily indulge in the spoils, drinking to excess, hooking up with strangers, and throwing money around (one seems to have a shoplifting habit, and fake IDs are used to subvert the authorities and protect the students' true identities). Still, it's clear that, for them, it's not necessarily about total greed (except perhaps for their mentor, Professor Rosa). Also, for Ben, this enterprise is a means to a seemingly noble end: paying for medical school without having to rely on anyone for help. Plus, he comes to an understanding that his game isn't without its cost.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence: A security officer takes delight in beating up anyone caught counting cards; he even wears special rings on his fingers to make the experience more painful (the bloody aftermath is shown on camera). He also flashes a gun, and another gun is fired in a casino. Some loud arguments between friends.
  • sex false3 Sex: Strippers do their thing at a club (lots of cleavage shots); Jill propositions Ben, and they make love in front of a window (they're shown from the top half, kissing passionately, naked); mild jokes about masturbation.
  • language false3 Language: Some salty language, including "goddamn," "bulls--t," and the like.
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: Practically feels like a commercial for Las Vegas, with scene upon scene of casinos, gamblers, and the strip. Signage is everywhere, from the Hard Rock Cafe to Planet Hollywood to The Mirage. A book that teaches the students how to count cards is clearly shown. Shopping sprees take place in stores that are clearly marked out front or by shopping bags, including Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Also many mentions of Google, Sizzler, MIT, Harvard Medical School, etc.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Lots of drinking in Boston pubs and at the Vegas casinos and strip bars. Tons of smoking in those locales as well.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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