21 - The Last Casino (2004) Discussion

Yeah I think its the same story...thats exactly what I was thinking...

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yeah 21 looks pretty bad

i personally wont go to see it, last casino is a good movie overall probably.

shocked me to see something so similar in plot too. math and all at the start

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[–] Tequila_Eclipse 16 years ago

every time I see the trailer for 21, I scream "I've already seen that movie!" because I saw the last Casino, which was okay... Canadian made... so you cannot expect alot.

I live living in Canada and bashing my people. but its true! our budgets are TOO low.

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[–] info-828 16 years ago

Except for the fact The Last Casino ripped off the book Bringing Down the House" which was written 3 years before the Last Casino was made....

and 21 is based on a true story...and that story was from the book Bringing Down the House"!

Simple math, if Bringing Down the House" was never written there would be no Last Casino!

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[–] jessica-dmh 16 years ago

Maybe you should do some research before you open your trap. The Last Casino didn't rip off Bringing Down The House.

~ Jessica

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[–] joan11 16 years ago

Don't worry about him, he's a studio plant. Just look through his posts.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] cybercoma 16 years ago

Except that the book is about 6 MIT students and a financier, whereas The Last Casino is about 3 students and a prof... which is exactly the same idea as 21. In fact, from the trailer a couple of the lines in 21 are identical to The Last Casino.

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[–] info-828 16 years ago

"The Last Casino" was a straight rip off of the book "Bringing Down the House"...in BDTH it was a professor who recruited students and taught them to count cards and win at blackjack. This book was written 2-3 year's before "The Last Casino" was made. Tell me, where did "The Last Casino" get their idea from? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that without the book The Last Casino wouldn't have happened. When I read the book then saw The Last Casino I couldn't believe someone ripped off Ben Mezrich.

The Last Casino = low rent edited - made for TV movie with C-Rated nobody actors and a nobody director.

21 = real Hollywood movie, made for worldwide release with Oscar nominated actors and big time director.

Just because the hack producers that made The Last Casino first it doesn't mean anything. They ripped off the concept from the book that inspired 21!

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[–] nightcrawler_bad_ass 16 years ago

"They ripped off the concept from the book that inspired 21!"

Lets correct this for you "They ripped off the concept from the book that 21 also ripped off" ***

There we go all done

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[–] I_Shall_Be_Released 16 years ago

"They ripped off the concept from the book that inspired 21!"

Lets correct this for you "They ripped off the concept from the book that 21 also ripped off" ***
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Let me correct this for 'you'- 21 is based on the novel 'bringing down the house'. In the opening credits that is clearly stated. Therefore, it cannot be considered a rip-off. The last casino on the otherhand, is not based on the book and so therefore can be considered a rip-off, because it claims itself as an original story.

Now that it has been established that the last casino is a rip-off and 21 is not, it all comes down to which one pulled off the same story more convincingly. Both movies are good, though a larger budget does help with the quality of acting, sets & editing. My vote would have to go to 21, it had a solid cast, the story was well paced & the atmosphere from the fun-partying Las Vegas of the first hour, to the tense and at times scary Las Vegas of the 2nd hour are well presented.

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[–] trailinghome 16 years ago

Ever hear of the short story "The Most Dangerous Game"?

I think that was remade quite a few times, check it out, how about Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet?

Books and movies are for entertainment, education, information and for us to escape from reality, lets just enjoy both these movies, and of course the book might just be worth reading. lol

Oh, I designed a chair, rather unique, I saw my exact same design one year later in an office, there was no way the designer or myself could of seen our respective designs. Just maybe...

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[–] ihatespike 15 years ago

To be fair it is possible that great minds think alike.
I was reading "the idiots guide on writing a novel" and the guy wrote about how he'd finished the outline for a book about ppl hijacking a hospital ward where some guy was getting a heart transplant and when he sent it in his agent told him that some other writer had made almost the exact same story and sold it not six months earlier. Weird huh?
Of course this is just me on my little cloud of optimism, and we are talking about movie scripts and not two separate novel ideas....but I'm just saying.
I haven't seen 21, is it good?

Platonic love exists: scientists stumped.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] rover888 16 years ago

...based on the book Bringing Down the House

More like...Based on the Canadian movie The Last Casino! - Oh yeah, Sony Pictures wouldn't want to market it that way.

Did the screenwriters or the studio didn't think any fans would notice?

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[–] gillp 16 years ago

Thanks for all the nice comment about The Last casino. I am the director and i was in total shock when i saw the trailer of 21... i was sad actually... its very close to my movie but of course it looks bigger; they had maybe 50 millions and probably 50-60 days of shooting... we had 21 days and 3 millions... i wish i had all this time and money... but still, i am proud of Last Casino, i tried to make it fun and honest movie...

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[–] nodforme 16 years ago

When i saw the preview for 21 i couldnt believe it. it seemed like it had pretty much ripped off the last casino.. people are gonna be asking me to see it, but i'm gonna have to say no cuz i already did.. great movie btw..

-------------------
"You will know my name is the lord,
when I lay my vengence upon thee"

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[–] roxbury_babe 16 years ago

The Last Casino is one of my favorite Canadian Films! I LOVED IT!
I was actually sooo pissed off when i saw the 21 preview.
my friends had to tell me to be quiet because i was FREAKING out haha.
i was just in total shock...they made a sleezy big budget movie with the exact same plotline as a great canadian indie film...hollywood needs to bulk up on the originality.

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[–] emmy851 16 years ago

agreed!

like a bunch of other people in here, when i saw the trailer i did a double take!

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[–] macaveli22 16 years ago

Thank god I wasnt the only one who was like wtf... Last Casino was the one movie that really got me checking out more candian cinema... its a shame really that its gonna be thought of as a 21 knock off by people who dont know better...

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[–] LittleMatchGirl 16 years ago

Thanks for all the nice comment about The Last casino. I am the director and i was in total shock when i saw the trailer of 21... i was sad actually... its very close to my movie but of course it looks bigger; they had maybe 50 millions and probably 50-60 days of shooting... we had 21 days and 3 millions... i wish i had all this time and money... but still, i am proud of Last Casino, i tried to make it fun and honest movie...

My jaw dropped to the floor when I saw the preview for 21. Hell, I have nothing to do with the flick (except enjoying it) and I still felt robbed!

The Last Casino is a great film. You did a great job regardless of the time or money spent, it is a quality movie.

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[–] brainfreze 16 years ago

agreed.. in fact, i posted a thread in the 21 IMDB board.

and i loved the actors chosen for this film (the last casino, of course)

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[–] Lord_Morgoth_713 16 years ago

I rented LC on lark cuz the premise seemed cool and it seemed to ring a bell from a story I saw on TLC on Vegas cheats. (College guys count cards, etc.) It has become one of my favorite movies as well. Got a copy when I could find one. Saw the 21 preview and had to shake my head and wait for it come on again. I thought, does anyone else know about the last casino? Apparently a lot of people do and love it the same way I do. No way will I pay to this glammed up version of an already excellent flick. The only motivation for me to rent it is that I really like Kevin Spacey films so there is my one weakness. Sorry.

You must master your joystick as a fisherman masters bait! -Gimpy

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[–] merylstreepfan85 16 years ago

omg I thought I was the only one who thought that! I'm so glad I'm not...lol.

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[–] djhunted75 16 years ago

PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE... Do any of you watch the History Channel or understand the plain english replies of info128(or whatever their username is)

The fact of the matter remains the MIT blackjack team is the inspiration to this story/movie, and if this so called director posting on here is denying that then I highly doubt he is the real director, besides his posts look like they written by a 14 year old or at the very least someone who speaks broken English...

The only differnces between this movie and 21 is that 21 is based in fact whereas this director changed it to only 3 students and made the preofessor out to be a problem gambler... Now from the History Channel documentary "Breaking Vegas" (also a must see) there is no mention that the professor was a problem gambler.. I personally have not seen 21 yet, so i do now know how they portray the professor..

Anyway the point is basis of this story is from something that actually took place and I can only assume logically that TLC and 21 are based off the book which is based off the actual historical events...

Soooooo... ARGUMENT SQUASHED

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[–] dodson-andrew 16 years ago

In 21, Spacey is a businessman and in no way a problem gambler. Just a man of some seriously strict and messed up principle.

Yeah, 21 is actually the more authentic of the two and is in no way a rip-off of The Last Casino. The Last Casino may be great but is a fiction take on Bringing Down the House. Actually, most of 21 is also a fictional take on Bringing Down the House because they could not use the real names of the people because they did not want their story known so well.

Anyway, everyone stop bitching. They are movies, they will exist, and you will deal with it.

I liked 21, it was interesting. Though the damn voice-over is a pure Goodfellas rip-off.

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[–] Gsolol 16 years ago

I like this movie better than 21. However, 21 really IS based on the book Bringing Down The House, if you wont accept that then go read it. This movie is similar to that book as well so if you're gonna cry "WOW WHAT A RIP OFF" then you need to do the same sh!t to this movie since it's a major rip off of Bringing Down The House.

But yeah it was a decent film, better than 21 imo.

That chick was hot too. Better than Kate Bosworth.

"You can't ask a tiger not to turn back into a Chinese dude after midnight."

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[–] jeanblackqueen 16 years ago

The Last Casino was based on the actuak story. But 21 was based on The Last Casino except no Asian guy of course since it's the USA. For all their million dollars more in budget and better actors blah blah blah they still made a worse film. THE LAST CASINO is the best film by far.

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[–] derekhasabigsausage 16 years ago

I had much the same reaction as many on this thread, I enjoyed 'the last casino' and didint think '21' would compare as I am not all that partial to big budget movies attempting to be slick and stylish (which I imagined 21 would be).

However, as far as I can tell I dont see any 'ripping off' happening here. Both movies are based on material previously published (There is of course an oscar offered for exceptional execution of this) just as the last casino is not a rip off (of the book or otherwise the actual events). The story of 'the last casino' is too similar to claim it was not influenced by these things but is also different enough to mean that the writer/director has put thier own little spin on the story for whatever reason (dramatic effect etc).

As far as im concerned, as long as the film acknowledges that it is based on previous material/events it cannot be accused of ripping it off. The acknowledgement of the source negates any of these accusations.

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[–] jls1 16 years ago

Both The Last Casino and 21 are based on the same book, Brining Down the House, which in turn is based on a true story.

I believe movie companies, for legal purposes, have to state if the movie idea is taken from something not originally concieved by the production.

Unfortunatly, that usually means the very basic plotline is used for the story but all of the filler is made up, or changed, or switched around any way the company producing the movie sees fit.

That's why so many people are disapointed after they see one of their favourite books converted for film. The basic jist of the story is there but events and timelines and even characters get completely re-done.

I loved The Last Casino.

Independant feel, not too flashy. Katherine Isabelle, Charles Martin Smith and the freaky Julian Richings are excellent actors.

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[–] BigRich 16 years ago

I agree. I watched The Last Casino last night and besides the card counting, the "professor" and the team of college students that counted cards, and of course the casino(s), they were two totally separate movies. It would be as if someone said that LOST ripped off Gilligan's Island.

IMO, TLC was weak, when compared to 21. I seen 21 last weekend and thought it was an ok, movie, but I can really see how much better a fully funded movie can look as opposed to a movie that is on a TV movie budget. Some of the effects of TLC were really good, but overall, the story was a hack job. TLC started off with so much promise, too. I was watching the first 15 minutes by myself and shut it off and got my girlfriend and told her that so far, it was better than 21 - then we watched the whole movie. TLC was "bad" per se, but it lacked a good story line and arc. Not until the movie was almost 3/4 done did we actually know where the were gambling at (Canada), however, one of the worst parts was that they kept going back to the same casino initially. WTF??!! That dillrod Scott was going morning, noon and night to the same casino and tipped off security. That was just dumb. Where the real MIT kids this dumb?

But anyhow, I don't see how 21 ripped off TLC, either. Quite honestly, both movies seem like some sort of weird fantasy and were quite unbelievable at the end of each movie.

_
Every person that served can be called a veteran, but not every veteran can be called a Marine.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] BigRich 16 years ago

What the hell do you mean if I seen them both?! Shut up. They are two totally separate movies based on the same short story. You can have two totally separate movies based on a source material (i.e. I Am Legend, The Omega Man). Two different movies!

I have the Playboy magazine that has the short story Bringing Down the House. Both movies are BASED on this story and even those don't entirely match the story, especially the ending. I need to re-read the story because if my memory serves me, there wasn't even a professor in the movie.

(Without having to go home to retrieve the magazine (I'm at work), I found the info I was looking for on Google. I was correct. There was no professor in Bringing Down the House! http://not-my.blogspot.com/2008/04/review-21-aka-bringing-down-house.h tml)

Again, two separate movies based on one short story.
_
Every person that served can be called a veteran, but not every veteran can be called a Marine.

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[–] SeeminglySleepy 16 years ago

I just saw 21 and I was assuming it would be better than TLC due to a bigger budget and well-known actors, yadda yadda.. but it was far from it. I'm surprised to say that TLC was better than 21. And I also don't think that 21 ripped off TLC since they're both based on a book. TLC just does it better.

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[–] 15 years ago

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