 Following a string of roles in successful films in the late 1990s , Hoffman had established a reputation as a top supporting player who could be relied on to make an impression with each performance . His film appearances were likened by David Kamp of GQ to " discovering a prize in a box of cereal , receiving a bonus , or bumping unexpectedly into an old friend " . According to Jerry Mosher , as the year 2000 began , " it seemed Hoffman was everywhere , poised on the cusp of stardom " . 
