Synopsis:

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.

Brian's Rating: A- : I really like Phillip Seymour Hoffman.  See him in Charlie Wilson's Sar, and then contrast it with the role he has in this film and you get a good idea of the breadth of his acting ability.  He does an amazing job portraying a degenerate gambler in this gripping tale that is based on a true story from the early 80's.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well the film was put together.  It does an excellent job as a period 80s piece and the shots are carefully selected to remain consistent.  The writing for the story is done very well, and mixed with good editing keeps the viewer constantly interested in just how far he will take it.

The film does a great job portraying what it means to be a gambling addict.  The entire focus of the film is centered on the deep rooted addictive desire to play the next hand.  It becomes his world, and frankly it is scary to realized that there are people out there every day that are entrapped in this very same addiction.  Its just that not many of them can steal from a bank for their financial backing.

I had never heard of this movie, but this is why I watch movies I have never heard of.  Sometimes you find a gem.

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