Blackjack is a topic or theme that has graced the silver screen quite a few times. The presence of the blackjack game in movies is quite natural, considering people are always intrigued with games of chance, especially when people play for high stakes or are beating the house religiously.
One such blackjack movie is the movie entitled 21. 21 was a blackjack movie released in 2008 and tells the tale of the MIT blackjack team. 21 is one of the blackjack movies that is actually based on a true story, as the MIT team of blackjack players revolutionized the concept of team blackjack play and card counting. This movie depicted how the team was trained in the art of card counting and showed how they took the casinos for millions upon millions in blackjack winnings.
While the game of blackjack was the predominant theme in 21, there are numerous instances where blackjack is not the main theme of the movie, but plays a significant role in the movie’s plot. Rain Man featured a story line where Raymond, played by Dustin Hoffman, won a ton of money after his brother Charlie (Tom Cruise) discovered that Ray is able to count cards at a very high level. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a movie where blackjack is discussed quite heavily. Jack Nicholson’s character talks of card counting and has cards with him regularly.
The Cooler is another of the many blackjack movies that involves blackjack and gambling. William Macy plays a character known as a Cooler for his impeccable ability to transfer his bad luck to anyone he meets, is employed at a casino to try to cool off any hot winners at his casino. When he is on his A game, he causes even the luckiest streaks at the blackjack table to come to a screeching halt.