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Drama

21 (2008): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch

21 (2008) movie poster

21 is a 2008 drama directed by Robert Luketic, starring Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth. It runs 2 hours 3 minutes and earned $159.8 million worldwide on a $35 million budget. Critics gave it 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and 48 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.8/10. Rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

IMDb rating
6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes
36%
worldwide gross
$159.8M
Metascore
48
21 (2008) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 3m (123 min)
Director
Robert Luketic
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
Budget
$35M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is 21 About?

The premise of 21 without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A gifted MIT student joins a team of equally talented students, led by an unconventional professor, to conquer Las Vegas blackjack tables using advanced mathematics and subtle communication. As they succeed, the allure of money and a captivating teammate leads one student to gamble everything in a dangerous game of deception against formidable casino security. The stakes become increasingly high as they risk losing everything.

21 Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • blackjack
  • based on true story
  • card counting
  • gambling
  • tough guy
  • hero
  • heroine
  • evil man
  • manipulation
  • black man
  • bag on head
  • airport terminal
+38 more
  • wad of cash
  • cityscape
  • alcohol
  • escalator
  • lap dance
  • kiss
  • kiss on the mouth
  • kiss on the lips
  • genius
  • aerial camera shot
  • losing a job
  • psychedelic therapy
  • true crime
  • classmate classmate relationship
  • theft
  • irs internal revenue service
  • schoolmate schoolmate relationship
  • mit massachusetts institute of technology
  • character says 'winner winner chicken dinner'
  • student
  • casino
  • professor
  • money
  • hands
  • code
  • signal
  • scholarship
  • revenge
  • slow motion scene
  • fired from a job
  • voice over narration
  • surveillance
  • turning the tables
  • technology
  • tax evasion
  • surveillance footage
  • surveillance camera
  • robot
Where to watch

Where to Watch 21

Rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Cast & crew

21 Cast

Jim Sturgess leads the cast, with Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth. Directed by Robert Luketic.

Ratings

21 Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave 21 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and 48 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.8/10.

Plot

21 Plot Summary

What happens in 21 from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Ben Campbell, portrayed by Jim Sturgess, is a bright mathematics major at MIT who has recently secured a spot at Harvard Medical School, but the exorbitant tuition of $300,000 stands as an insurmountable barrier. Eager to alleviate his financial woes, he applies for the esteemed Robinson Scholarship, knowing it could cover his entire education cost. Yet, he soon learns that the competition is incredibly fierce, with 76 highly qualified applicants all vying for the prize. The scholarship’s director informs Ben that only the most impressive candidate will be awarded the funding.

Full summary

The whole story of 21, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

21 Box Office & Budget

21 grossed $159.8 million worldwide on a $35 million budget, 4.6 times what it cost. $81.2 million came from the US and Canada and $78.6 million (49%) from the rest of the world.

2008 box office

Worldwide gross

$159.8M

4.6× its budget

US & Canada
$81.2M
International
$78.6M
Budget
$35M
US & Canada 51% Rest of the world 49%
Videos

21 Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 2 trailers.

[ HD ] 21 Trailer 1
  • Trailer 21 (2008) Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know 21?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is Ben Campbell's major at MIT?

Cars

Cars in 21

33 cars on screen, including the 2003 Lincoln Town Car and the 2003 Lincoln Town Car Stretched Limousine.

All 33 cars
  • 2003 Lincoln Town Car in 21 2003 Lincoln Town Car Minor role
  • 2003 Lincoln Town Car Stretched Limousine in 21 2003 Lincoln Town Car Stretched Limousine Minor role
  • 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera in 21 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Minor role
  • 1996 Audi A4 B5 in 21 1996 Audi A4 B5 Background role
Details

21 Also Known As

27 alternative titles, including “21 - The Movie” and “決勝21點”.

Also known as
  • 21 - The Movie
  • 決勝21點
  • Dvidešimt vienas
  • 21 - Blackjack
  • 21 - Oko berie
  • 21 Kortspelet
  • 21: blackjack
  • Quebrando a Banca
  • 玩转21点
  • 攻陷拉斯维加斯
  • 21 - Vinci a Las Vegas
  • 21: A Última Cartada
+15 more
  • Las Vegas 21
  • Двадцать одно
  • 21 Blackjack
  • Oko bere
  • 21 - Las Vegas ostroma
  • 决胜21点
  • ラスベガスをぶっつぶせ
  • 21: Șansa vieții lui
  • Двадцять одне
  • 21: Oko berie
  • 21 Black Jack
  • Divdesmit viens
  • เกมเดิมพันอัจฉริยะ
  • Xì Dách
  • 鬥智21點

Seen 21?

FAQ

21 FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of 21, each answered in a sentence.

How long is 21?

21 runs 2 hours 3 minutes (123 minutes).

When was 21 released?

21 was released on March 28, 2008.

Who directed 21?

21 was directed by Robert Luketic.

More films by Robert Luketic

Who is in the cast of 21?

21 stars Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth.

Where can I watch 21?

In the US, 21 is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).

How much did 21 make at the box office?

21 grossed $159.8 million worldwide ($81.2 million domestic, $78.6 million international) on a budget of $35 million.

How is 21 rated?

21 has 6.8/10 on IMDb, 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, 48 on Metacritic and 67% on TMDB.

Does 21 have a post-credit scene?

No. 21 has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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