Going for Broke
Encyclopedia
Going For Broke was a 2003 television
movie that was broadcast on the Lifetime Network. Directed by Graeme Campbell
, it starred real-life husband and wife, Gerald McRaney
and Delta Burke
, as well as a young Ellen Page
. It tells the story of how compulsive gambling
destroyed a woman's life and family. The film won several awards, including one for best musical score. Critics praised Going For Broke for its realistic and hard-hitting approach.
According to the movie's epilogue, it is partially based on a true story and subsequent embezzlement
case – which resulted in all Nevada casinos
being required by law to post the toll-free number for the Nevada Council on Problem Gamblinghttp://www.nevadacouncil.org/index.php, should any of their clientele need it.
to Reno, Nevada
, where Laura has landed a job as head of fundraising
for the Children's Chronic Illness Association.
Out on the town one evening, Laura decides to give a video poker
machine a try, then steps "upward" to slot machines, at the advice of Bella (Joyce Gordon), a sweet older lady and casino semi-regular, that she makes the acquaintance of. After experiencing a bit of beginner's luck
that night, it isn't long before she has become hopelessly addicted to gambling, draining her family's bank account
dry and even stealing from her kids, pawning Tommy's bicycle
at one point. Her performance as both a parent and a career woman quickly go to pot, which becomes apparent after she wins $50,000 by managing a very rare royal flush on a video poker machine, then loses it all in a matter of minutes. When confronted by Jim (who's working double shifts as a mechanic
to keep the family going) about her addiction, Laura blames him for not making enough and later kicks him out of the house.
Left to fend for herself, Laura manages to scrape together enough for a grocery shopping excursion, but gets distracted by the slot machines offered in the local supermarket
and is left afterwards with only enough for a box of oatmeal
.
Desperate to feed her insatiable gambling habit, Laura is able to get her mother to loan her $10,000, but she quickly loses this as well. She then attempts to borrow from Bella, who explains that she doesn't know Laura well enough to do this, which results in Laura angrily blaming Bella for introducing her to the slots. Bella points out that she didn't cause Laura's addiction and reminds her "there's only one sure way to double your money in Nevada: fold it in half, then put it back in your purse".
Finally, her addiction now completely out of control, Laura embezzles $100,000 from her charity. Having lost everything (including her house, which has been foreclosed on, and her kids, who have gone to live with her mother), she finally decides to commit suicide
via carbon monoxide poisoning
, but changes her mind at the last second and faces up to both her addiction and embezzlement
, joining Gamblers Anonymous
, admitting to stealing from her job, and finally beginning to work towards getting both her and her family's lives back on track.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
movie that was broadcast on the Lifetime Network. Directed by Graeme Campbell
Graeme Campbell (director)
Graeme Neil Campbell is an award-winning film director, writer and editor.- Life and career :Campbell was born in Montreal, Quebec to William and Thelma Campbell. His body of work lies mostly in films made for television as well as mini-series', although he has transitioned into episodic...
, it starred real-life husband and wife, Gerald McRaney
Gerald McRaney
Gerald Lee "Mac" McRaney is an American television and movie actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the television shows Simon & Simon, Major Dad, and Promised Land. He was a series regular for the first season of Jericho.-Early life:McRaney was born in Collins, Mississippi, the son...
and Delta Burke
Delta Burke
Delta Ramona Leah Burke is an American television and film actress. Her television work includes a leading role as Suzanne Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom Designing Women...
, as well as a young Ellen Page
Ellen Page
Ellen Philpotts-Page , known professionally as Ellen Page, is a Canadian actress. Page received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for her role as the title character in the film Juno...
. It tells the story of how compulsive gambling
Compulsive gambling
Problem gambling is an urge to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler's behavior. Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical...
destroyed a woman's life and family. The film won several awards, including one for best musical score. Critics praised Going For Broke for its realistic and hard-hitting approach.
According to the movie's epilogue, it is partially based on a true story and subsequent embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
case – which resulted in all Nevada casinos
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
being required by law to post the toll-free number for the Nevada Council on Problem Gamblinghttp://www.nevadacouncil.org/index.php, should any of their clientele need it.
Plot
Laura (Burke) is a successful businesswoman with two children, Jennifer (Page) and Tommy (Matthew Harbour). She marries Jim Bancroft (McRaney), and the family moves from FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, where Laura has landed a job as head of fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
for the Children's Chronic Illness Association.
Out on the town one evening, Laura decides to give a video poker
Video poker
Video poker is a casino game based on five-card draw poker. It is played on a computerized console similar in size to a slot machine.-History:...
machine a try, then steps "upward" to slot machines, at the advice of Bella (Joyce Gordon), a sweet older lady and casino semi-regular, that she makes the acquaintance of. After experiencing a bit of beginner's luck
Beginner's luck
Beginner's luck refers to the supposed phenomenon of novices experiencing disproportionate frequency of success or succeeding against an expert in a given activity. One would expect experts to outperform novices - when the opposite happens it is counter-intuitive, hence the need for a term to...
that night, it isn't long before she has become hopelessly addicted to gambling, draining her family's bank account
Bank account
A Bank account is a financial account recording the financial transactions between the customer and the bank and the resulting financial position of the customer with the bank .-Account types:...
dry and even stealing from her kids, pawning Tommy's bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
at one point. Her performance as both a parent and a career woman quickly go to pot, which becomes apparent after she wins $50,000 by managing a very rare royal flush on a video poker machine, then loses it all in a matter of minutes. When confronted by Jim (who's working double shifts as a mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
to keep the family going) about her addiction, Laura blames him for not making enough and later kicks him out of the house.
Left to fend for herself, Laura manages to scrape together enough for a grocery shopping excursion, but gets distracted by the slot machines offered in the local supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
and is left afterwards with only enough for a box of oatmeal
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is ground oat groats , or a porridge made from oats . Oatmeal can also be ground oat, steel-cut oats, crushed oats, or rolled oats....
.
Desperate to feed her insatiable gambling habit, Laura is able to get her mother to loan her $10,000, but she quickly loses this as well. She then attempts to borrow from Bella, who explains that she doesn't know Laura well enough to do this, which results in Laura angrily blaming Bella for introducing her to the slots. Bella points out that she didn't cause Laura's addiction and reminds her "there's only one sure way to double your money in Nevada: fold it in half, then put it back in your purse".
Finally, her addiction now completely out of control, Laura embezzles $100,000 from her charity. Having lost everything (including her house, which has been foreclosed on, and her kids, who have gone to live with her mother), she finally decides to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
via carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
, but changes her mind at the last second and faces up to both her addiction and embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
, joining Gamblers Anonymous
Gamblers Anonymous
Gamblers Anonymous is a twelve-step program for problem gamblers. GA began in Los Angeles on September 13, 1957. As of 2005 there were over 1000 GA meetings in the United States and meetings established in the United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Kenya, Uganda, Korea and...
, admitting to stealing from her job, and finally beginning to work towards getting both her and her family's lives back on track.