Owning Mahowny (2003)
(Richard Kwietniowski, Canada/UK 2003, 104 min., 35mm)
Based on the true story of the largest one-man bank fraud in Canadian history, Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Dan Mahowny, a bank manager with a gambling problem. Dan starts to feel the pressure as he climbs the corporate ladder in a Toronto-based bank, and his girlfriend, Belinda (Minnie Driver), is pressuring him to make a commitment. He finds solace in gambling and betting on sporting events. When his new promotion provides access to unlimited funds that he can hide with dummy transactions, his addiction starts to control him and he spirals into deeper debt and bigger trouble. Peppered with humor in the increasingly absurd situation, this independent film is a wonderful showcase for Hoffman and his ability to create credible, sympathetic characters you might pass by on the street.