Review of Owning Mahowny (2003) by Wesley H — 21 Sep 2009

For Dan Mahowny, gambling sucks the life out of him; as it does to a large number of addicted gamblers. The odds appear to fall down upon the addict, but they still reach for more. In Owning Mahowny, the depressing true story of a man's deterioration from gambling plays out a depressing, and a prevalent issue.

Dan Mahowny (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a banker rapidly climbing the ladder of success, is secretly breaking from the inside out. His constant impulse to gamble leads him to pounds of debt in which he illegally discards through counterfeit loans. The sin of gambling pressures his relationship with his considerate girlfriend (Minnie Driver), and also his advancement in his career.

The casino in Atlantic City stands as Dan's ultimate antagonist to his downfall. John Stern playing a Mr. Burn's type persona, laughs in the loss of gambler's money, which is soon laid in his hands.

Philip Seymour Hoffman performs superbly as a slowly evaporating gambler who can't see the potential that he has without the addiction. With humans having addictions of all sorts, Hoffman's portrayal can relate to everyone. For Mahowney, the glimmering lights of casinos are to him as the full moon is to the Wolfman.

Irony upon irony lays a foundation in the story, and creates a tone of dread and hopelessness. The audience feels inclined to beg for Mahowney to stop along with other planted characters that do the same.

To note, the realism of the problem provides a mutual level compared to other films that go above and beyond fiction; considerably in gambling films. Gambling films have taken on the glamorous, Las Vegas look that is so common to Hollywood. Owning Mahowney's goal pertains not to this stereotype so commonly used, but to focusing on Dan's life, and his problem. The film's purpose is to show what happens after the casino. In most cases, a man will not walk out with much.

The tone providing the right effect, the viewer is left depressed. A slow moving film, the majority of the film consists of mediocre acting, but as a common pattern, Hoffman brings the spice it needs.