Movie spotlight
Owning Mahowny
Dan Mahowny was a rising star at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. At twenty-four he was assistant manager of a major branch in the heart of Toronto's financial district. To his colleagues he was a workaholic. To his customers, he was astute, decisive and helpful. To his friends, he was a quiet, but humorous man who enjoyed watching sports on television. To his girlfriend, he was shy but engaging. None of them knew the other side of Dan Mahowny--the side that executed the largest single-handed bank fraud in Canadian history, grossing over $10 million in eighteen months to feed his gambling obsession.
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Plot Summary
Don Mahowny, a successful bank manager, lives a secret life as a compulsive gambler. His addiction escalates as he begins to embezzle money from his clients to fund his insatiable need to bet. As his debts mount and his lies become more elaborate, he finds himself increasingly entangled with dangerous loan sharks, risking everything he holds dear.
Critical Reception
Owning Mahowny received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise directed at Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance. The film's dark and unflinching portrayal of addiction and its consequences resonated with many, though some found its pacing deliberate.
What Reviewers Say
Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers a mesmerizing and unsettling performance as a man consumed by addiction.
The film offers a stark and realistic look at the destructive nature of gambling.
Director Philip Saville crafts a tense and atmospheric drama that effectively captures Mahowny's downward spiral.
Google audience: Audience reviews often highlight Philip Seymour Hoffman's powerful portrayal of a man struggling with severe gambling addiction. Many appreciated the film's serious and unvarnished examination of the subject matter, finding it compelling and thought-provoking, though some noted its somber tone.
Fun Fact
Philip Seymour Hoffman researched the role by speaking with recovering gambling addicts.
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