You wonder how an interesting and well thought out plan crashes to shreds in a twinkle. You might think this is an escapade that only happens in movies. That is far from the truth. For a fact, movies are representations of actual life events. These movies take on happenings in the society or a section of society and bring them to life through acting.
A number of these movies are nonfictional, one of which is the 2008 American heist thriller, “21”. This Robert Luketic suspenseful thriller is motivated by the real tale of the MIT Blackjack Team written in the bestseller “Bringing Down the House”, by Ben Mezrich. The movie enjoyed incredible box office success despite the mixed reviews it received and the contentious casting selections made. From the plot of this movie, we can safely deduce the adverse impacts of addiction especially when it concerns betting. Ben was there and he testified.
About The Plot
It all went down, rough and dirty very quickly for Ben, an MIT Mathematics major who is aspiring for admission into Harvard Medical School but is unable to pay for his $300,000 tuition. In a short period, Ben moved from being a promising young chap to a fugitive in the underground world. This movie goes on to show that even in the midst of wits, addiction can go as far as wrecking all your plans.
The plot begins to unfold as in a bid to secure admission into the Harvard Medical School, in the sight of the luxurious tuition, Ben must win the renowned Robinson Scholarship. He applies for this scholarship. As a smart lad that he is, we expected him to pass outstandingly. We had no disappointments, as he got an impressive score of 44 marks in his MCAT. Notwithstanding the high score he has and his impressive grades, he must beat off strong competitions from other applicants.
As a mathematics major at MIT, Micky Rosa, one of Ben’s professors, challenges him to solve the Monty Hall Problem which he completes successfully. This impressive feat makes Micky Rosa ask him to be a part of his blackjack team, which comprises other students Jill, Kianna, Choi, and Fisher.
Micky’s blackjack team utilizes their proficiency in covert signalling and card counting to cart away huge winnings when they play at live casinos for Gamstop customers and every other people. By joining this team, Ben climbs up the social ladder and becomes a “big boy.” Members of Micky’s blackjack team all get enthralled by Ben’s wits and skills except for Fisher who gets green-eyed. Out of vile, Fisher gets into a fight with Ben which leads to the former’s expulsion from the team.
As all these go on, Cole Williams, the Head of Security keeps tabs on the activities of this team with a major focus on Ben. This commitment from Ben soon becomes an addiction that alienates him from his buddies. It was at this point, our beloved young lad begins to slip.
It all gets messier as he adds to his dilemma on their next trip. An emotionally thrown off Ben refuses to leave the table after he receives the signal to do so. He goes on to lose his entire $200,000 profits. Micky Rosa out of anger, leaves the team, ending it with them in the process. He further demands that Ben pays back the lost $200,000. This debacle throws Ben into a dilemma. All his efforts towards getting out of the mess to prove abortive even when he teamed up with Williams, the latter later robs him of his winnings.
The light at the end of the tunnel comes on eventually when Ben and some other friends form a 6-man team that goes on to win a lot of money. At the end of this movie, we discover that the whole plot unfolded in the room where Ben narrates the whole saga to the glimmer and amazement of the scholarship director.
How The Willing To Earn More Could Be Fatal
The whole saga surrounding Ben’s odyssey through the seas of casino betting as a witty young chap shows how much hurt can be caused to oneself, as well as the chances of ruining your plans by the will to earn more that is the same to High Roller story. At different points, being moderate and responsible would have saved Ben a lot of the stress he goes through in this movie.
Do not forget that this movie we chose as a reference for this nugget is nonfiction which translates its realistic depiction of the ruins, addiction and greed can cause. Take it from people who know enough about this, you must gamble responsibly to stay clear of the fatality that hovers.
Take it from Ben, the winnings get sweet as you proceed but can all turn sour once you refuse to pull the brakes at the right time. It is not always about wit. The control over your desire to earn more will always come in handy as you make your way to bounties.
