| THE COOLER |
 2003 - USADirector: Wayne Kramer - Reviewed by Vickie
Set in Las Vegas, the film follows Bernie through his paces at the Shangri-La Casino, where he spends his days working off his debt to ruthless owner Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin)—a man who’s already broken Bernie’s kneecaps over money—by killing hot streaks in action. Shelly’s casino is at risk of being bought out, so anything that can help it keep itself afloat is desperately needed. But when Bernie falls for cocktail waitress Natalie (Maria Bello), things change. And, unfortunately, life getting better for Bernie personally means his massively bad luck becomes good luck...thereby rendering his cooling skills completely impotent. Suddenly, having Bernie stand nearby results in huge winning streaks for gamblers. He goes from cooler to good-luck charm as his relationship with Natalie blossoms, and his value at the casino becomes void. Needless to say, Shelly’s none too pleased with this and the film goes from a sad-sack story to a tense suspense thriller, as we wait to see what Shelly will do, how Bernie will react and what Shawn Hatosy has to do with the whole thing. The Cooler is a terrific character study and a nicely atmospheric glimpse into casino life for a bunch of disparate characters all looking for their own kind of happiness in Vegas. William H. Macy delivers another stellar performance, and one that requires more than a little risk. Maria Bello is equally strong, carving out an initially jaded but gradually endearing character who loves despite what she knows will happen as a result. Alec Baldwin is great as the film’s frightening (in a good way) heavy, and Paul Sorvino makes for a nice coked-out lounge singer clinging to his last shred of fame. Much has been made of the love scenes between Macy and Bello, most likely because both actors show all their bits and pieces. But it’s not gratuitous or shocking, so don’t worry that you might be walking into The Brown Bunny. It was actually refreshing to see the two of them bucking Hollywood cliché by not being strategically covered throughout—it was just, "Okay, here we are." The Cooler is enjoyable all-around, serving as the ultimate underdog story. And you know what they say about underdogs. (Everybody loves ‘em.) |
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William H. Macy is perpetual loser and professional "cooler" Bernie
Lootz—a man so unlucky that his mere presence can end winning streaks
and turn the tables on good fortune—in this superbly understated
drama from first-time feature-film director Wayne Kramer.
