Based on the bestselling book Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich, Breaking Vegas recounts the story of how a group of M.I.T. whiz kids formed a blackjack team in the 1990s that drew on management principles and math models (card counting) to win an advantage over Vegas dealers. Card counting, incidentally, is not illegal, but it's still an "undesirable activity" banned by casinos. In the good old days of mob-controlled gambling, goons would simply hustle card counters outside and rough them up a bit. Today, corporate-controlled casinos employ surveillance cameras and a small army of pit bosses and floor detectives to keep natural and electronic eyes on the gaming action. Back at M.I.T., using aliases, disguises, and other gimmicks to dodge detection, the players submitted to grueling "checkout" sessions before fanning out as teams to blackjack tables in Vegas, Atlantic City, and other gambling meccas. Combining dramatic recreations, personal testimonies (mostly in shadow, as they don't want their real identities disclosed), and contemporary on-location footage, Breaking Vegas makes it clear that these part-time grad students often relished living a double life, but the high living took a toll and the ruse eventually unraveled. An entertaining tale of how a handful of little guys took on the corporate giants and lost (but had quite the adventure), this program also takes viewers inside today's modern casino, which is driven by comps and computers. DVD extras include the 100-minute bonus documentary "High Rollers: A History of Gambling," as well as the 25-minute tutorial "How to Win in Las Vegas." Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Rees)
Breaking Vegas
(2004) 93 min. VHS: $29.95, DVD: $24.95. The History Channel (dist. by A&E Home Video, <span class=SpellE>tel</span>: 800-423-1212, web: <a href="http://www.aande.com/">www.aande.com</a>). <span class=GramE>Color cover (on DVD).</span> ISBN: 0-76 November 1, 2004
Breaking Vegas
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