Limits to Ambition

When Michael Dvorak leaves his native Germany in 1990 to immigrate to the United States, he embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery. Trying to find a job in a recession-plagued economy proves to be the least of his worries. Apprehensive about his attraction to his best friend and roommate, Steve, Michael seeks refuge from his confusion in the arms of beautiful Julia Hencock, a model with a dubious part-time job-and an even more obscure past. Julia has her own problems. Her precarious romance with Michael soon turns into a balancing act: she must satisfy both a boyfriend-whose true sexual proclivities she suspects-as well as her nightly clients, while evading a killer who knows that her testimony could land him in the electric chair. And, sensing Steve's jealousy of her attachment to Michael, she fears that Steve might betray her ultimate secret. Both Michael and Julia must eventually conquer their respective demons.

Directed by Mason Stone, Limits to Ambition leans on a strong ensemble — Leanna Chamish, Jason King — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2006.