Dan Mahowny (Hoffman) is an assistant bank manager with a head for numbers, a knack for making decisions, and a devastating appetite for gambling. Using $10.2 million of siphoned bank funds, Mahowny gambles for the thrill of the bet. By day, he works obsessively in the bank; by night, he gambles obsessively on sports, ponies and at the gaming tables. His girlfriend, Belinda (Driver), a clerk at the same branch, has to struggle to reconcile their romance. Indulged by the management of the bank which flatters itself for having found its own wunderkind, nurtured by the Atlantic City casino manager who sees the banker as a meal ticket to Vegas, Mahowny finds himself in a gambler’s paradox -- playing with increasing odds in order to win back the limitless funds which are his to take as long as he doesn’t get caught. Based on the non-fiction book by
Gary Ross Stung: The Incredible Obsession of Brian Molony -- about the largest one-man bank fraud in Canadian history.
Canadian Connection: Partly filmed in Toronto, Ontario.
Phillip seymour hoffman is oustanding in potrayal in a obssession in the world of gambling. From personal experience, he truly captures the essence of the emotions one experiences from up to down and what a gambler is willing to do to continue the thrill of the bet. Gave me chills reexperiencing the emotional downsides of additive gambling.Hoffman gives his best!
Philip seymour Hoffman captures the true essence of the character and portrays the obssession of gambling perfectly. I saw some many of the subtle signs a compulsive gamble shows. Not willing to spend any money on himself or well being so as not to take away from money for his next bet. Truly realistic!
They should have used a "real" casino floor/pits. The "dealers" need to deal correctly, call the correct game: rolling a "three" if the point is eight does not mak the bets loose @ craps. Great story just needed better scenery.