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 enlarge | Actors: Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Jack Gilpin, Jack Mcgee, Kevin Spacey
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $28.96
Buy Used: $3.45
You Save: $25.51 (88%)
New (75) Used (78) Collectible (2) from $3.45
Avg. Customer Rating:  86 reviews
Sales Rank: 951
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 123
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.7
MPN: COLD26718D
UPC: 043396267183
EAN: 0043396267183
ASIN: B0018CWW5K
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: July 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 very goood!! October 19, 2008
story,and actor... very good movie, i do interesting british actor very much,, jim sturgess.. james macvoy..orlando bloom
naomi wats.. they are great,aren't they?
Based on a true story? October 14, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The movie is based on a true story, but the plot is changed so much from the book, it is hardly recognizeable. The movie captures the excitement of the team counting cards in Vegas, but the characters are unbelievable. Kevin Spacey plays a vindictive professor who organizes the team. Spacey does a competent job, but the character's motivations are so over the top that it is unbelievable he's never been caught or he can keep his job as a professor at MIT. Sturgess plays a very smart student trying to make some money because he was accepted into Havard Med. School. The timeline is very confusing. Is the whole story a flashback? However, I thought the essay is what kicked the plot off. The love story is not very convincing or interesting. Also, these Vegas trips were business trips for these students. According to the accounts I read, they did not regularly go to strip clubs. They went on overnight trips. They did not have time to for all the partying in the movie.
The aspects of the movie I liked best was how they showed the signaling and card counting working. The gambling was done well. The scenes of college life were good.
In summary, it is not a horrible movie, but it could have been so much better. The real story is fascinating. The movie only partially generates that excitement.
 Has anyone ever heard of a student loan? October 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This movie's fatal flaw is that it never addresses the obvious solutions to any of the myriad problems it poses. The question in my review title is hypothetical; I realize that if the main character had gotten a student loan for medical school, the plot wouldn't have been possible. However, the movie asks us to suspend disbelief far too many times, and in completely unrealistic ways. The idea of student loans is never even MENTIONED and we're supposed to believe that a smart MIT student like the one played by Jim Sturgess has no other way of paying for Harvard Med. If that's the case, how the hell did he pay for an expensive school like MIT in the first place? We're also supposed to believe that these smart people who KNOW they're being watched are intelligent enough to put on fake-looking mustaches and wigs (Though not the ethnic kids; I guess if you're not white it's assumed that no one could possibly remember your face anyhow.) but not to change their totally obvious hand signals. Then there's the part where we're supposed to believe that their otherwise cool and collected leader would change his mind about gambling just in time for a key plot twist strictly on the basis of a sixty second conversation. Oh and of course everything wraps itself up in a neat little bow.
In a way I'm biased, because I knew I would hate this movie from the moment it began. Sturgess is a likable enough actor, but his narration never worked for me. Throughout the movie he keeps repeating the phrase "Winner, winner chicken dinner" -- and even though he explains it, it makes about as much sense as any of the other plot holes in this crappy movie.
I don't care how big of a Kevin Spacey fan you used to be. There is no reason on earth to see this movie. Everything from the ending to the "twist" to the soundtrack is 100% predictable, and you (obviously) don't have to be an MIT student to figure it out.
 great movie September 29, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
this movie was fantastic! i love jim sturgess in across the universe and he is equally amazing in this film. kevin spacey also does a spectacular job with his character
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner September 29, 2008
Based off the true story of the MIT kids who schemed their way through Vegas, 21, follows the shy, cute, genius, Ben Campbell (played by Jim Sturgess) through the ups and downs of gambling. His teacher Prof. Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) pushes him into joining an elite group of MIT students who have been taking trips to Vegas and winning thousands in black jack by counting cards.
Ben Campbell is trying to find a way to fund his new acceptance to Harvard Medical School, so he joins the team, and quickly finds himself stuffing thousands of dollars in his dorm room ceiling. In Vegas each of the members including Ben becomes their own character and enjoys the fabulous lifestyle of high gambles, partying, and even some high-end spending! Ben gradually works up the nerve to put the moves on his love interest, Jill Taylor (played by Kate Bosworth), and as soon as things are going good, like a good movie, things begin to fall apart. The money starts to get to some of the players, and eventually Ben. Also the strained relationships with his friends (who also don't know about his gambling), constantly traveling, etc., throw Ben for a loop. You also find out that professor Rosa isn't the most trustworthy of people to deal with.
I thought the movie was pretty entertaining, I never read the book, but heard about the story via CNN. Also Kevin Spacey is always great, and Jim Sturgess surprises with some decent acting. I was surprised when I found out he was actually British, you would never know from his accent in the movie. I wouldn't give it a four, because its not the best movie I've ever seen, but like i said, its pretty entertaining. I'd suggest picking it up if your having a slow night, it might surprise you!
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