21 - Major Motion Picture

The story of the MIT Blackjack Team hit the big screen in the major motion picture, 21. The movie was marketed as  being “inspired by a true story” and was very much the Hollywood version of what really happened.  The movie  fared well at the box office, grossing more than $80 million domestically and over $150 million internationally. 21 was very far removed from reality; not to mention there are countless great real life stories that were never told. Despite that, the movie was entertaining and there were parts that I thought captured the spirit of what our team accomplished. For example, the excitement of when the team was being formed. I think that what fans of 21 enjoyed most, beyond the appeal of the Vegas lifestyle, the ingenuity of card counting and the looming potential of getting made by the casinos, was the romantic notion that the underdog can win. A bunch of college students were able to pull off what no one is supposed to be able to do – beat the house at its own game.