21 (2008)

21, a film adaptation of Ben Mezrich's Bringing Down the House, is a bit more fictional than the book, but quite entertaining. The plot is based (in this case, loosely) on the true story of five MIT math students who developed a team-based system to beat a Vegas blackjack pit. The kids count cards, which isn't technically illegal, but is frowned upon by the casinos and the thugs they hire to "dissuade" would-be cheaters. One such thug, and former card counter (Laurence Fishburne), has a special interest in the team, and works to help the casinos keep their money.

While the movie's "plot twists" are fairly predictable, the cast is engaging and the story itself is appealing. The newest member of the team, Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), is innocent but brilliant and is (predictably) corrupted by his success at card counting. His committment to the team is strengthened (again, predictably) by the presence of love-interest Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth). The mentoring - he actually says "you remind me of myself" - of Professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) gets him in the game, but (again, predictably) eventually the student must challenge the teacher.

An entertaining movie based on a true story, 21 is a fast-paced film peppered with clever, snarky dialogue. The actors are well-cast, and give the performances one expects. The movie devolves from a unique and true story of the no-longer-possible exploits of a bunch of whiz-kids into a morality tale, but I'd say it's a good rental anyway.

Burn After Reading (2008)

The Coen brothers strike again. Their newest film, Burn After Reading, is a black comedy following former CIA analyst Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) and the oversexed (George Clooney), inept (Brad Pitt), self-centered (Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton), or simply confused (J.K. Simmons, David Rasche) people thrust into the intrigue after he writes down his memoirs on his PC.

The star-studded cast does not disappoint. Standout performances by Malkovich, Clooney, Pitt, McDormand, and Swinton are funny and heartbreaking as they (poorly) attempt to find what they want, even as "they're all sleeping with each other." The classic Coen brothers elements are all present in this movie: Poorly-executed subterfuge, the juxtaposition of placing horrific violence in humorous situations, and an elaborate plot with many twists that ends up resulting in no real changes for the characters which survive. I'm sorry to give that last part away, but fans of Coen brothers movies already knew that someone would likely die and that there would be no progress or grand lesson learned.

Overall, the movie does a good job of poking fun at its characters, its plot, its writers/directors, and even its audience without failing to entertain. It presented a thoroughly entertaining storyline and a wide variety of characters, all of which remained eminently recognizable. I see this as a return to form for the Coen brothers that will likely draw more critical acclaim than their films from earlier this decade--after O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) the Coens failed to wow critics with either Intolerable Cruelty (2003) or The Ladykillers (2004).

I heartily recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys black comedies, and particularly those with a lot going on at once. If you love the Coens' previous work, you'll love this one.