In the film “21,” Ben Campbell has a school crush on Jill Taylor. Played by Kate Bosworth, Jill is a fellow MIT student and member of the blackjack team that recruits Ben into its high-stakes Las Vegas operation.
Ben, played by Jim Sturgess, is a gifted mathematics student who wants to attend Harvard Medical School but cannot afford the cost. Professor Micky Rosa recognizes Ben’s talent and invites him to join a secret team that uses card counting and coded signals to win at blackjack. Ben initially hesitates, but Jill’s involvement helps persuade him to join.
Jill is more than a romantic interest: she is part of the group’s social and gambling structure. As Ben becomes absorbed in the money and glamour of Las Vegas, his relationship with Jill develops alongside the film’s larger themes of ambition, temptation, loyalty, and betrayal.
The 2008 film was loosely inspired by Ben Mezrich’s nonfiction book “Bringing Down the House,” which drew on stories associated with MIT blackjack players. The movie fictionalizes many details, including its characters and their relationships.