21

[Micky deals a deck of cards out to the team of kid card players]

Micky Rosa:
What's the count?

Jill Taylor:
Plus 9.

Micky Rosa:
No.

Fisher:
Plus 11.

Micky Rosa:
No.

Kianna:
Dude, I lost count 20 cards ago.

Micky Rosa:
Don't call me dude.

Choi:
[Micky points to Choi] Uh, plus 9?

Micky Rosa:
You're just following Jill. People, please. We had a total of 76 cards that came out of the deck. Twenty-three were high cards with the value of minus one. Seventeen were neutral with no value at all, and the rest were low cards with the value of plus one. How could you lose the count?

Ben Campbell:
[Ben speaks from the doorway] Plus 13. The count. It's plus 13.

Micky Rosa:
[Micky smiles at Ben] Yes.

[Ben plays Blackjack his final time in disguise]

Ben Campbell:
[Ben talks to the dealer] Winner, winner, chicken dinner! There it is. Thank you. God, I love this town. I love this game. And, Jim, I might even love you.

[Ben asks Micky why he's being asked to join the team of card players]

Ben Campbell:
So, why are you telling me?

Micky Rosa:
Well, let's just say a spot opened up on our roster.

Ben Campbell:
How?

Micky Rosa:
Jimmy got a job at Google.

Ben Campbell:
Jim... Jimmy got a job at Google?

Micky Rosa:
Yeah, it's catchy, I know.

Ben Campbell:
Well, if you're making so much money at this, then why did he take it?

Micky Rosa:
Ben, I said Google, not Sizzler.

[Cole Williams tells Ben the history him and Micky have in Las Vegas]

Cole Williams:
Tell me, uh... how's uh... Good old professor Rosa doing, huh? Oh, yeah. Me and Micky, we go way back. I spent years, chased him all over this town. I gave him beat downs left and right, only to find him at the tables a week later. He was very persistent. And then, one September night, when I was in Barstow at my father's funeral, my casino was taken for seven figures. Can you imagine that? The most ever taken by a single counter in one night. 'Course I was, naturally, unceremoniously fired. Funny thing, though. I never saw Micky Rosa after that. Never.

[Ben tells Jill he can lead this team of card players]

Jill Taylor:
What are you doing?

Ben Campbell:
Well, we're printing money here. What, you think just 'cause Micky left we're gonna stop? No, I can do this. I can lead this team. You know, I'm not the same guy I was back in Boston.

Jill Taylor:
Exactly.

Ben Campbell:
Yeah, exactly. You know, isn't this exactly who you wanted me to be when you first came into the store to buy a tie?

[Micky see's Choi stealing from the casino room after arriving in Las Vegas]

Micky Rosa:
Hey! You steal 'The Bible', you go to Hell. That's the way it works.

Choi:
Like I'm not going already.

[Jill tells Ben at his place of work that he should join the team]

Jill Taylor:
Ben, you should feel the thrill of winning more money than you can possibly imagine. I think you should come to Vegas. 'Cause I'm guessing that you could probably use a break from this place.

Ben Campbell:
I can't. I'm sorry. I just can't.

Jill Taylor:
Okay, if you change your mind, you know where we meet.

Ben Campbell:
Okay.

Jill Taylor:
You're welcome any time. You know, I think the best thing about Vegas is you can become anyone you want.

[Jill sits on Ben's lap at a dance club, as they both pretend to be their fake identities]

Jill Taylor:
What line of work you in, mister?

Ben Campbell:
I count things.

Jill Taylor:
[Jill chuckles] My name's Sierra.

Ben Campbell:
Hi, Sierra. I'm Salvadore Sanchez.

Jill Taylor:
[Jill whispers in Ben's ear] Would you like a private dance, Salvadore?

Ben Campbell:
Well, that all depends how much it's gonna run me, Sierra.

Jill Taylor:
20 a song, 30-song minimum.

Ben Campbell:
Sounds expensive.

[Ben and Jill kiss for the first time]

[Ben sits down to play the table limit in the casino]

Ben Campbell:
[Ben asks the gambler beside him about the female dealer] How's she doing?

Philosophical Gambler:
Oh, that doesn't matter, man. The way I see it, yesterday's history, tomorrow's a mystery. It's all what you do in the moment, baby.

[Jill wakes up Ben by opening the curtains to his hotel room]

Jill Taylor:
[Ben opens his eyes] Nice undies.

[Jill wakes up Ben on the plane after landing back in Boston]

Ben Campbell:
I seem to keep waking up to you.

Jill Taylor:
Don't get used to it.

[Micky gets on Fisher's back after Fisher gets jealous of Ben's winnings]

Fisher:
Beginner's luck.

Micky Rosa:
Hey, Fisher. Win like a man, lose like a man.

Fisher:
Micky, I didn't play into a cold deck three times.

Micky Rosa:
You know what's worse than a loser? Someone who won't admit he played it wrong.

[Micky talks to Ben privately about being the next big player on his team]

Micky Rosa:
Fisher and Jimmy have always been the big players. I want you to take Jimmy's place.

Ben Campbell:
I've never done this.

Micky Rosa:
I know that and I understand. But I don't trust the girls, and Choi is, well, Choi.

[Cole Williams confronts Micky for the first time again]

Ben Campbell:
[narrating, when we see Micky tied up in the basement of the casino] I had a 1590 on my SAT. I got a 44 on my MCATs. And I have a 4.0 GPA from MIT. I thought I had my life mapped out. But then I remembered what my Nonlinear Equations professor once told me, always account for variable change.

Cole Williams:
[Cole Williams walks out of the shadows] Hello, Micky.

Micky Rosa:
Look, I got money in Boston. A hundred grand. I'll give it to you. If you just let me walk away. I'll walk away.

Cole Williams:
I don't want your money, Micky. I don't need it. But I know someone who might be interested. He's good with numbers, too. He works for the IRS.

[last lines]

Ben Campbell:
[narrating, Ben see's all of his friends gambling in Vegas] I let down my good friends. But as it turns out, they weren't too bad at simple math either.

Ben Campbell:
[narrating, Jill and Ben make out in the school library] I scored the prettiest girl in school.

Ben Campbell:
[narrating, Cole lays on a beach with a cocktail in his hand] I got beaten down by an old-school Vegas thug who was having trouble accepting his retirement. But I worked out a deal with him that got him a nice pension.

Ben Campbell:
[narrating, Ben introduces his mother to Jill] And I lied to my mother. But I confessed the lie. And, well, she still loved me.

Ben Campbell:
[narrating, Ben walks into school to get his scholarship] So my senior year of college, I joined this team. And I learned this new skill. I went to Vegas 17 times to use it. I made hundreds of thousands of dollars counting cards.

Ben Campbell:
[Ben sits across from the professor] And then I had it all stolen from me. Twice. How's that for a life experience, professor? Did I dazzle you? Did I jump off the page?

[Micky yells at Ben for losing $200,000]

Ben Campbell:
Hey, I let you down, all right. I get it.

Micky Rosa:
Excuse me? You let me down? I don't care! Let me make one thing clear to you, I am not your father! You are not my friend. This is a business. You were only good to me as the money you make, and, right now it's not worth a hell of a whole lot!

[Ben talks to Miles about the cost of having to go to school being expensive]

Ben Campbell:
You know, tuition fees and living expenses alone cost over $300,000. $300,000.

Miles Connoly:
It's outrageous. It's astronomically high. I get it.

Ben Campbell:
You know, I just thought there was more to life than just money.

Miles Connoly:
Well, look at the bright side, I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance.

[Cole Williams punches a card gambler in the dark basement of the casino]

Cole Williams:
You think you can beat the system.

Cole Williams:
[Cole holds up his fist] This is the system, beating you back!

Cole Williams:
[Cole punches the Gambler's chest] You wanna count cards, you do it in Atlantic City. Get him up.

Terry:
[Terry lifts up the kid] Come on, kid.

Cole Williams:
Count to five. Count to five!

Gambler:
[the gambler stammers] What... What?

Cole Williams:
Count to five so I know you don't have brain damage, you can go home.

Terry:
[Terry growls into the gambler's ear] Start with one.

Gambler:
One, two, three, four, five.

Cole Williams:
Good. Now, stop counting!

[Ben arrives to the Las Vegas casino for the first time, as Ben trips on a set of stairs when looking at two attractive women walk towards him]

Choi:
Hey, Ben. Basic strategy says you should hit that.

[Ben talks to himself in the mirror when he quotes his favorite winning line]

Ben Campbell:
Oh, there it is! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Choi:
[Ben takes off his glasses and stops his little dance as Choi laughs behind him with his phone up] No, please, keep going. This video's priceless.

[Ben is quizzed on knowing the count's exact word to each card number]

Fisher:
Plus 16.

Ben Campbell:
Sweet.

Fisher:
Use it in a sentence.

Ben Campbell:
[Ben nervously responds] Man, that sugar's sweet.

[the rest of the team laughs]

[Micky realizes he's set up by Ben when he finds the chocolate cent in the bag]

Cole Williams:
[in a flashback] I never saw Micky Rosa after that.

Cole Williams:
[Cole stops his punch in front of Ben's face] But I think I wanna see him now. And I want you to make that happen.

Ben Campbell:
I don't work for Micky anymore.

Cole Williams:
[Cole laughs] Come on, kid. Your picture's all over the database, your Vegas gig is done. But I will give you one night. And I can guarantee you won't be bothered. You'll make a killing, and you'll keep it all. Hmm? Listen. My name's Cole. Cole Williams. You just bring me Micky Rosa, kid. I'll take care of the rest.

Micky Rosa:
[in the present] Son... Of... A... B*tch.

[Cole Williams checks Ben's pocket and finds his real ID]

Cole Williams:
Oh! You understand all this. You go to MIT.

Terry:
Smart boy.

Cole Williams:
[Cole laughs] My name is Cole Williams. And if I ever see you in this town again, I will break your cheek bone with a small hammer, and then I will kill you.

[Micky reminds the team that playing cards is a moneymaking business]

Micky Rosa:
All right, guys, let's get something clear. This is not summer camp and I'm not your counselor. This is real, world-class moneymaking business. Kianna, slots are for losers. Fisher, peelers are stealers. Choi?

Choi:
Hmm?

Micky Rosa:
You made five grand last night, so would you stop stealing nine-cent pens and everything you can get yours hands on from the maid's cart. It's embarrassing.

[Micky tells Ben he's ready for a trial run]

Micky Rosa:
I think he's gonna be ready for our little trial run tomorrow.

Ben Campbell:
There's a trial run?

Micky Rosa:
Mmm.

Ben Campbell:
Where?

Micky Rosa:
You'll find out.

Kianna:
[Kianna holds her hands up and wiggles her fingers at Ben, whispering] Dun, dun, dun.

[Micky begins to teach his class about nonlinear equations]

Micky Rosa:
Now, who can explain Newton's method and to use it?

Miles Connoly:
Uh, you can use it to solve nonlinear equations.

Micky Rosa:
That's impressive. That's really good. I mean, I'm very impressed by that, especially since my class is called Nonlinear Equations.

Micky Rosa:
All right, now somebody tell me something I already don't know. Anyone? Bueller. Anyone? Bueller.

[Ben speaks to his teacher Micky for the first time in class]

Micky Rosa:
We're gonna call this, um, the game show host problem. All right? Ben, suppose you're on a game show. And you are given a chance to choose from three different doors, all right? Now, behind one of the doors is a new car. Behind the other two, goats. Which door would you choose, Ben?

Ben Campbell:
Door number one?

Micky Rosa:
Door number one. Ben chooses door number one. All right, now, the game show host, who, by the way, knows what's behind all the other doors, decides to open another door. Let's say he chooses door number three. Behind which sits a goat, now... Ben, game show host comes to you. He says, 'Ben, do you want to stay with door number one or go with door number two?' Now, is it in your interest to switch your choice?

Ben Campbell:
Yeah.

Micky Rosa:
Well, wait. Remember the host knows where the car is, so how do you know he's not playing a trick on you? Trying to use reverse psychology to get you to pick a goat?

Ben Campbell:
Well, I wouldn't really care. I mean, my answer's based on statistics. Based on variable change.

Micky Rosa:
Variable change? But he just asked you a simple question.

Ben Campbell:
Yeah, which changed everything.

Micky Rosa:
Enlighten us.

Ben Campbell:
Well, when I was originally asked to choose a door, I had a 33.3% chance of choosing right. But after he opens one of the doors and then re-offers me the choice, it's now 66.7% if I choose to switch. So, yeah, I'll take door number two, and thank you for that extra 33.3%.

Micky Rosa:
[Micky smiles] Exactly! People, remember, if you don't know which door to open, always account for variable change. Now, see, most people wouldn't take the switch out of paranoia, fear, emotions. But Mr. Campbell, he kept his emotions aside and let simple math get his ass into a brand new car! Which is better than that goat you've been driving around campus.

[Ben insults Micky for the first time]

Micky Rosa:
You had very clear instructions, and you didn't follow them. You didn't do your job. You weren't counting, you were gambling!

Ben Campbell:
Well, why aren't you out there, then, Micky? Hm? I mean, we take all the risks. Seems to me like you don't do sh*t.

Micky Rosa:
This isn't about me, you arrogant little infant.

[first lines]

Ben Campbell:
[narrating] 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner.' Those words had been dancing around my head all night. I mean, it's Vegas lore, that phrase. Just ask any of the old-time pit bosses, they'll know. It was a Chinese dealer at Binion's who was first credited with the line. He would shout it every time he dealt blackjack. That was over 40 years ago, and the words still catch. 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner.' Yeah, try it. I had heard it at least 14 times that night. I couldn't lose. First of all, what I was doing wasn't illegal. There were certain institutions and people that frowned upon it, but it's legal. And not everyone can do it. Just those with gifted minds. I have a gifted mind. That's what got me into all this mess. I was counting cards and I was up over $640,000.

Ben Campbell:
[we see the images of Ben winning at a game table] We used hand signals, too. Folded arms, the table's hot. A touch to the eye, we need to talk. And a hand running through perfect flowing hair meant only one thing. Get out. Now. 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner.'

[Ben talks to Professor Gilpin about getting the Robinson Scholarship]

Bob Phillips:
The Robinson Scholarship is comprehensive, as you know. It's a free ride. And free rides don't come easy.

Ben Campbell:
Absolutely.

Bob Phillips:
We have 76 applicants, this year. Only one of them will get the Scholarship. And most of whom have resumes just as impressive as you.

Ben Campbell:
Right. Uh, Professor Phillips? Some kids grow up wanting to play for the Red Sox. You know, some grow up wanting to be, I don't know, a fireman. I grew up... Well, really, I just wanted to come here to Harvard Med. And now that I've gotten accepted, it seems to only come down to the money. Which I don't really have. So, what I'm trying to say is that I really, really need this scholarship.

Bob Phillips:
Did you rehearse that?

Ben Campbell:
Yeah. Like, 14 times in front of the mirror.

Bob Phillips:
Unfortunately, desire doesn't figure into this much. The Robinson is going to go to someone who... Dazzles. Somebody who just jumps off the page.

[Ben learns who the Robinson Scholarship went to the previous year]

Bob Phillips:
Ben, last year, the Robinson went to Hyum Jae Wook, a Korean immigrant who has only one leg.

Ben Campbell:
Well, I have both my legs.

Bob Phillips:
Well, have you considered cutting one of them off?

Bob Phillips:
[Ben remains quiet] That was a joke.

[Ben shows up to his new assistant job where his best friend Miles works]

Warren:
Congratulations! How does $8 an hour sound?

Ben Campbell:
Eight dollars? Wow! Wow. That's great, Warren. Thank you. Thank you.

Miles Connoly:
[Ben's best friend asks him] You slept with him, didn't you?

Ben Campbell:
Yes, I did. Yes, I did.

Miles Connoly:
Yes, you did! I'll sleep with him, too, and I'll get $8 an hour.

[Ben talks to Miles about giving up so much to go to Harvard Med]

Ben Campbell:
You know, ever since I was 16, I crushed exams. I took on extracurricular. I showed up early. I even sat at the front of the class and stayed late. Man, I gave up everything. You know, I gave up fun. I gave up sex.

Miles Connoly:
I don't think you gave up sex.

Ben Campbell:
Okay, maybe not sex.

Miles Connoly:
Yeah, you didn't give up sex.

Ben Campbell:
All right, all right. I didn't give up sex.

[Ben sits with his best friends Miles and Cam at a bar]

Miles Connoly:
Look, guys, we don't date, we don't travel, we don't have any money. The only thing that we do have is the 2.09 Competition. If we can't even win that, what's the point?

[when a group of men and hot women cheer together at the next table]

Cam:
We suck.

[Ben see's Jill waving at basketball practice and thinks she's waving at him]

Miles Connoly:
[Ben and Miles see she's waving at the guy behind her] Oh, man. That's brutal. You know, you should just ask her out, man. It's not like she's a rocket scientist or anything. Oh, wait, she is.

Ben Campbell:
Well, why don't you ask her?

Miles Connoly:
Because I'm already dating someone.

Cam:
Yeah, your right hand doesn't count, Miles.

Miles Connoly:
[Miles points his fingers to Cam] It does the way I use it. It does the way I use it.

[Ben continues to stare at Jill during basketball practice]

Miles Connoly:
[Miles goes up to Ben] You know, you say you want a life experience, right? Well, I'd say getting down with that would definitely qualify.

[Ben is nervous when Micky introduces himself after turning in his paper]

Ben Campbell:
Is there a problem with my paper?

Micky Rosa:
Well, you found a more efficient method for finding true zero than Isaac Newton and that, my friend, is not so much a problem as it is a major ass-kicking. Although Newton has been dead for over 250 years, so it wasn't exactly a fair fight.