editor's note
The tagline for the new film 21 reads as follows: "Inspired by the true story of five students who changed the game [of Blackjack] forever." Yet it fails to live up to expectations and reality. The film is based off the book, Bringing Down The House, which recounts the true story of a group of MIT students who essentially made millions by counting cards in Las Vegas during the 1990s. The students were predominantly Asian American, including their mentor and professor. In 21, the cast is mainly white with the principal character played by Jim Sturgess (of Across the Universe fame) and Kevin Spacey as the professor. Despite challenging Hollywood's old school casting with films such as Better Luck Tomorrow, the same old racist excuses are still being used (they want to appeal to a broader audience or they can't find any talented Asian American actors). What really bothers me is the small role that Jeff Ma (the main MIT student on which the book and movie was based upon) plays in the film as a casino dealer. Even though Ma has stated that he did not mind that his racial background had been changed in the film, how empowering would it be for Asian Americans to see a lead that was smart and charming? He also gets the "hot girl" (Kate Bosworth) at the end. The producers did cast two Asian Americans but they are stuck in one-dimensional characters. While the film is not racist, the idea of an Asian American lead in a story that stems from the Asian American community would have been refreshing. Since the release of the film in late March, a facebook group (Boycott 21) has emerged as an opposing voice to the casting decisions. As of April, more than 1,200 people have joined and if you're up for a cause, click away!
katherine nguyen
layout editor