Owning Mahowny (2003)

A bank manager with: (a) a gambling problem and (b) access to a multimillion dollar account gets into a messy situation. Based on the story of the largest one-man bank fraud in Canadian history.

Director:

Richard Kwietniowski

Writers:

Gary Stephen Ross (book), Maurice Chauvet (screenplay)

Stars:

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver, John Hurt

3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Dan Mahowny
Minnie Driver	...	Belinda
John Hurt	...	Victor Foss
Maury Chaykin	...	Frank Perlin
Ian Tracey	...	Det. Ben Lock
Sonja Smits	...	Dana Selkirk
K.C. Collins	...	Bernie (as Chris Collins)
Jason Blicker	...	Dave Quinson
Vince Corazza	...	Doug (as Vincent Corazza)
Roger Dunn	...	Bill Gooden
Eric Fink	...	Psychologist
Mike 'Nug' Nahrgang	...	Parking Attendant
Tanya Henley	...	Teller
Brona Brown	...	Teller
Philip Craig	...	Briggs

Storyline

Dan Mahowny (Philip Seymour Hoffman) 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 ten million dollars in eighteen months to feed his gambling obsession.

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Plot Keywords:

gambling | embezzlement | atlantic city new jersey | based on true story | bank | 

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Taglines:

The true story of a mild mannered banker and his magnificent obsession.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

The real person, on which the character of Dan Mahowny is based, is now a consultant for a company that investigates fraud.

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Goofs

Movie takes place in 1980-1982, however Air Canada jets seen in the background at the airport are painted in a design first introduced in the mid-to-late-'90s.

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Quotes

Investigator #1: You've got a gambling problem, right?
Dan Mahowny: No...
[chuckles]
Dan Mahowny: No, sir.
Investigator #1: Come on. You didn't get a buzz out of it?
Dan Mahowny: I have a... financial problem. A shortfall.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the closing credits you'll see the strongroom door from the start again and hear the sound of the ball in a roulette wheel. Rien ne vas plus.

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Connections

Referenced in The Daily Show: Philip Seymour Hoffman (2003)

User Reviews

All Hoffman

"Owning Mahoney" tells of a bank account manager and pathological gambler who lives from one wager to the next on a collision course with oblivion. A powerful and compelling tour de force by Hoffman - who once again proves he ranks among the actor's actors with the likes of Brando, Pacino, and Nicholson - this engrossing film claims to be a true story of a man, money, and an obsession of remarkable proportions. A worthwhile watch for Hoffman fans and anyone into character studies, particularly of obsessive-compulsive types. All others stay away. (A-)

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Canada UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 2003 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Owning Mahowny

Filming Locations:

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$33,287, 4 May 2003

Gross USA:

$1,011,871

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,271,244

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Atlantis Communications, Astral Media, Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1