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Owning Mahowny

Owning Mahowny

Crime · Drama · Thriller · 2003

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.

Movie details

Owning Mahowny

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

2003 Crime · Drama · Thriller 1h 44m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Owning Mahowny?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Richard Kwietniowski

Written by

Maurice Chauvet

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Dan Mahowny

Minnie Driver

Minnie Driver

Belinda

John Hurt

John Hurt

Victor Foss

Maury Chaykin

Maury Chaykin

Frank Perlin

Ian Tracey

Ian Tracey

Det. Ben Lock

K.C. Collins

K.C. Collins

Bernie

Jason Blicker

Jason Blicker

Dave Quinson

Court is in session

Put Owning Mahowny on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.