"Owning Mahowny" is not a bad film, and you probably won't regret seeing it. On the other hand, you don't need to rush out to see it, either. It's based on a true story, but I'm not quite convinced that it was a story worthy of being made into a film. Let's see, what are the two main things we learn from this one? 1) If you embezzle large amounts of money from the bank you work in, you'll eventually get caught, and 2) If you're an obsessive gambler you're doomed, because most of the time you'll be losing and even when you're winning you won't be able to just pick up your winnings and walk away. I think we all knew these things before we sat down to watch the film. A lot of praise has gone to Philip Seymour Hoffman's acting here; indeed, he is so good at portraying this monotonous man that I found him...well, monotonous. Minnie Driver (in what is possibly the most unflattering haircut of her career) is wasted as Mahowny's ever-understanding girlfriend. The truly outstanding performance is given by John Hurt as the enigmatic casino boss, who simultaneously pities, admires, likes and exploits Mahowny. If you're interested in movies about obsessive gambling, you might want to check out the 1974 flick "The Gambler", with James Caan. (**1/2)
Review of Owning Mahowny
