Summary: MIT student Ben Campbell is accepted into Harvard Medical School, but he cannot afford the $300,000 tuition. He is interviewed as a potential candidate for the prestigious Robinson Scholarship, which will pay for all his school-related expenses. Despite boasting stats such as a 1590 SAT score, 44 MCAT score, and a 4.0 GPA at MIT, Ben is told that competition for the scholarship is very fierce. Citing the story of a previous winner, a Korean immigrant whose leg was amputated, the recruiter tells Campbell that he needs to write an essay which will make him stand out; in other words, an essay which will "dazzle" him. During an advanced math class, professor Micky Rosa challenges Campbell with the Monty Hall problem, which Campbell solves successfully. Rosa invites Campbell to join his blackjack team led by Rosa, which consists of young men Choi and Fisher, and women Jill and Kianna. The system involves card counting, and the team is split into two groups: The "spotters", who play the minimum bet, keeping track of the count, and sending secret signals; and the "big players", who place large bets whenever the count at a table is favorable. Campbell is reluctant, but eventually joins the team, telling Rosa he is only doing so until he can pay for school. After weeks of intensive training, Ben is given a test at an underground casino, which he passes, and he is assigned as a big player. Rosa takes the team to Las Vegas where Campbell begins to realize the joys of a new lifestyle. Campbell's performance impresses Rosa, but eventually provokes jealousy in teammate Fisher. One evening, a drunken Fisher sits at Ben's table and starts talking about the "retard" in Rain Man, who won by counting cards. He then incites a melee when he spills a drink on another player at the table. Rosa, disgusted by Fisher's childish behaviour, kicks him off the team and sends him home. All the while, security chief Cole Williams monitors the blackjack team; particularly Campbell. Campbell, meanwhile, falls for Jill, culminating in the pair sleeping together in Vegas. Back at MIT, Campbell, distracted by the blackjack, botches his part of his project with his friends for the 2.0.9 competition. His friends angrily tell him that they will do the project themselves, with Campbell feeling that the project is not important anymore. On the next trip to Vegas, Campbell is emotionally distracted and continues playing even after he is signaled to walk away. An angry Rosa storms out on the group, promising that Campbell will reimburse him for the $200,000 loss. Campbell and his three remaining teammates bankroll the rest of their money, and agree to go into business for themselves. Williams finds and apprehends Campbell and takes him to a secluded basement and beats him. He lets Campbell go with a dire warning. Campbell returns to MIT, only to find a letter noting that he has been given an incomplete for one of his classes and therefore won't graduate, and that his winnings have been stolen from his dorm room. Ben suspects that Rosa is behind everything, but cannot prove anything, so he makes Rosa an offer: He and the team will hit Vegas for one big score before the casino installs biometric software as long as Rosa joins the team. He agrees. Disguised, the team returns to the Planet Hollywood. They rake in over $640,000 before Williams finds them and gives chase. The team members quickly bag their chips and then flee through the casino. During the chase, Campbell and Rosa split up, with Rosa taking the bag of chips. Rosa escapes with the intention of stealing the winnings, but finds his bag is full of chocolate coins and his limo is being driven by the casino manager. It is revealed that Williams had earlier made a deal with Campbell; he would let Campbell come to Vegas for one last night to make a lot of money in exchange for Rosa. Williams recalls a story earlier that he had monitored Rosa's activities years ago, and was successful in preventing Rosa from stealing thousands from the casino. But when Williams was out of town, Rosa managed to take thousands from the casino. However, Williams confronts Campbell on his way out, and demands the bag of chips at gunpoint for his retirement. Campbell turns it over as Williams reassures him everything will work out for his future as a doctor. Later, a tied up Rosa is greeted by Williams who informs him that he'll be turning Rosa over to the IRS for the winnings he's accumulated over the years. The movie closes with Campbell recounting the tale to the Robinson scholarship administrator, who looks back at him, "dazzled."
Review: To think that this is a true story, and that 6 MIT students actually pulled this off and walked away alive, is inspiring. Not saying that I'm gonna go to Vegas and try what they did. God, if I had the mathematical skills they got, then I'd be designing software and living like Bill Gates, except a girl and way better looks
Anyways, the story just causes you to drop your jaw at how intelligent these kids are, and that got away with it for as long as they did. If Campbell didn't recieve that Robinson Scholarship, then no one can...
