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Based on a true story, Hoffman is cast in the title role as the high
ranking executive in charge of loans for a Toronto bank. Mahowny also has a
gambling addiction, and is indebted to his bookie (Maury Chakin) for slightly
over ten grand. To cover his marker, Mahowny creates a fictional loan account,
and draws cash from it. Going a step further, he approves cash loans to an
existing but unsuspecting customer with a large credit limit, and takes the
money on weekend trips to Atlantic City, where he consistently loses at dice,
cards, and roulette. By the time he's found out, Mahowny has embezzled over $10
million.
The film makers made no attempt whatsoever to deliver Mahowny
as an attractive person to the audience, and it's a wonder he even has a
fiancee, Lisa (Minnie Driver). Indeed, Mahowny is so focused on gambling that
when the casino manager, Mr. Foss (John Hurt), sends to his suite a
complimentary call girl, who sheds her fur coat to reveal all, Mahowny only
tells her "You've made a mistake." And he really means it. He only courts Lady
Luck. Our hero is so indifferent to anything other than playing the odds that
he isn't even somebody with whom you'd consider having a friendly
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As a true story you know in the end he is going to
get caught. He is going to be arrested at some point but you do wonder why long
suffering girlfriend Minnie Driver sticks with him because there is little
other than obsession in his character.
Films about the sickness of
obsessive gambling are few and far between, even rarer ones that made it so
real that you can't watch the whole movie in one sitting. This is one of those.
The daddy of them all is still The Gambler (1974) with James Caan. The
difference is Caan plays a complete character which you can engage with and
feel empathy for. Not sure anyone can feel anything for the Mahowny in this
movie. Nevertheless a great portrayal.
On a small budget great attention
was made to make scenes look like early 1980s and with great effect. Strangely
they didn't think too much about the inside of the casino. The first shot of a
roulette wheel is of a John Huxley Starburst wheel, first made in the year 2000
(but then only I would know that - Ed.).
Definitely Gambling film noir
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| Director |
Richard
Kwietniowski |
Philip Seymour Hoffman |
Dan
Mahowny |
| Producer |
Alessandro Camon |
Minnie Driver |
Belinda |
| Writing |
Maurice
Chauvet |
John
Hurt |
Victor
Foss |
| Cinematography |
Oliver
Curtis |
Maury
Chaykin |
Frank
Perlin |
| Cert./Runtime |
R/15 -
104 mins |
Ian
Tracey |
Det. Ben
Lock |
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