The Cooler

Rating:
Summary: it's pretty good
Review: One of those kind of movies that is centered in Las Vegas&will keep you interested but it's not a film you want to watch to many times.William Macy does a good job,but He always plays these type of roles.Alec Baldwin does decent as well. some typical cliches which weigh the film in spots.but still a interesting film.

Rating:
Summary: Within Melancholy the Audience Finds Greed, Love, and Deceit
Review: Gambling is a burden for some and a leisure for others, but for casinos it means profits. Customers losses increase the casino profit, and the head of a casino wants to increase the profits, as it increase the revenues. Thus, casino managers want to increase gambling and increase the customer losses. Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is in a position where he provides this service for the manager of the Shangri-La Casino in Las Vegas, as he is what some would call a cooler. A cooler turns the luck at the table to bad luck, and Bernie is the best at what he does. Bernie merely has to touch, or be in the presence of someone who is being lucky and their luck will immediately turn. This is unfortunate for Bernie as he has had nothing, but bad luck throughout his whole life. In essence, Bernie is a super-loser that cannot win, which he is aware of, and has accepted.

Bernie is a deadbeat ex-gambler that has been forced into his situation by Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin) as a means to pay off an old gambling debt, and his last day is less than a week away. Shelly tries hard to convince Bernie to stay, but he wants nothing more than to get away from Sin City where he never sees the day. During the last week of bringing bad luck to gamblers at the Shangri-La Bernie meets the cocktail waitress Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello) whom he, to his own bewilderment, ends up bringing home one late evening. A relationship between the older Bernie and younger Natalie begins to bloom, which seems to affect his bad luck.

There are additional side plots, such as Bernie's son arriving from out of nowhere, who has a seemingly pregnant girlfriend. Shelly's job as casino manager is threatened by upcoming Larry Sokolov (Ron Livingston) who questions Shelly's old ways of running the casino. This comes with an interesting analogy made by Shelly in regards to the old times and how Las Vegas is being developed. There is also a heroin addicted singer whose prime was passed long ago and Shelly feels a certain level of responsibility to him as he tries to keep him in the Shangri-La show, while Larry tries to muscle himself into the management of Shangri-La.

First time director, Wayne Kramer, does a brilliant job getting a good cast that brings good chemistry to the set. The cast provides many strong performances such as Macy's performance as Bernie which is outstanding as he portrays the very soul of melancholy through displaying signs of depression, and poor self-esteem without an ounce of luck. Alec Baldwin's performance was Oscar nominated for best male supporting role as a convincing manipulative casino manager, which oozes of testosterone and ruthlessness. Not to mention Maria Bello's performance--she brings a strong performance to the screen, as she helps make the love story between her and Macy's character genuine with sincere emotion.

Cooler brings a story of greed, love, and deceit that has inspiring affection on the audience as they will root for the underdog. There are several humorous moments such as when Bernie and Nathalie are repaying his neighbor for their usually loud copulation and banging on the walls. In the end, Kramer succeeds in making a fine, superstitious, and poignant tale where an unlikely person gets what he deserves.


Rating:
Summary: Somewhat of an oddity...
Review: Sometimes you can just feel when a film is destined to end up being "late night movie" fodder and that feeling is strong when it comes to The Cooler. It's a laid back, traditionally made, drama/comedy set in Las Vegas that boasts some nice crane shots, a smooth jazz soundtrack and some really good preformances. Alec Baldwin, in particular, is really good and comes off as a very sympathetic character who is unwilling to modernize his Casino in order to not sacrafice the business' traditional quirks. There's sort of a strange twist though when it comes to The Cooler as it's one of those movies where the story is riddled with problems; it's cliched, predictable, the comedy falls flat due to film's (perhaps unintentional) serious tone, and the ending is a bit of a joke but despite all these flaws it's absolutely compelling. The only other film that I felt that way to was the 1988 crime thriller, Cop, with James Wood. Maybe it's the charisma of the actors that shines through the script to make the movie what it is, but I don't think this film is all that bad. I wouldn't buy the DVD though (I'd buy Cop BTW), perhaps a rental, but you should see it when it's on cable.

Rating:
Summary: Obscure but good
Review: Although I absolutely detest all forms of gambling--I live in a state that refuses to legalize it, thank goodness--I always get a kick out of watching films about gambling. I like reading books about it, too. I don't know why. I loved "Casino" not because it was a gangster film (although that was neat), but because most of the action centered on a Las Vegas casino. I liked reading books about Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel not because he was a gangster (although that was neat), but because he single-handedly built Las Vegas into the spectacular display to decadence that it is today. I would probably watch that television show about Las Vegas, the one starring James Caan, if I could stand to watch television for more than a second without retching. Yep, there's something about all those flashing lights, smoke filled rooms, stacked chips, and rolling dice that keeps me coming back for more. I hear casino gaming rooms eschew clocks since they want their customers to lose track of time. Well, I can get my fill of the gaming tables in an hour and a half with films like "The Cooler," and without losing any money in the process. Let the suckers take out a second mortgage--I'll just stand back and watch, thank you very much.

Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the sort of guy that makes everyone else feel lucky. He's a walking, talking loser from head to toe. His craggy face, slumped shoulders, tacky outfits, and shuffling gait practically scream, "I'm the biggest loser in the world!" In fact, he is a huge loser. He's such a loser that he makes a living out of it thanks to sleazy underworld casino owner Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin). Lootz ran up such a huge debt in Kaplow's dive that the two came to a most unusual arrangement after some initial haggling that involved Shelly breaking Bernie's kneecap. Now Lootz works as a cooler, or a guy whose luck runs so cold that he can literally shut down other people's streaks. All Bernie has to do is walk by a table and the dice turn to lead. He taps a finger on a card and everyone except the dealer goes bust. His mere presence is enough to send slot machines into a spiral. And Shelly Kaplow wouldn't have it any other way. He's made a ton of money off of Bernie's magical losing streak, far more than enough to pay off Lootz's debt. Kaplow is even starting to get a bit nervous about Bernie walking out on him when their contract reaches its conclusion.

Bernie meets a skinny, down on her luck waitress at the casino named Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello), and the two strike up a most unlikely relationship. The blossoming of love that occurs between the two breaks Lootz's losing streak. In a series of hilarious scenes we see Bernie taking his customary stroll through the casino, but this time around everyone he passes starts winning big. The dice are hot, the chips are flying, and the slots are hitting jackpots left and right. Shelly predictably goes ballistic, recognizing that something is wrong with his surefire strategy to rake in the bucks. This reversal of fortune couldn't happen at a worse time as Shelly needs Bernie more than ever now that his boss has brought in slimy lawyer Larry Sokolov (Ron Livingston) to turn the casino into a glitzy, family friendly establishment. Even worse, the casino's star attraction, the aging Buddy Stafford (Paul Sorvino), expired due to a drug overdose. Can Kaplow come up with a plan to not only keep this cooler firmly in his hands but to also break his newfound lucky streak? He's sure going to try. All he has to do is apply a bit of pressure in the places most sensitive to Bernie. Problem is, Bernie Lootz doesn't want his luck to run out, and he won't go easily back into Shelly Kaplow's pocket.

The most surprising thing about "The Cooler" is its obscurity. How is it possible for a movie with an all-star cast like Baldwin, Macy, Bello, Livingston, and Sorvino to soar this far under the radar? Especially when Baldwin and Macy turn in such stellar performances? You would have to go back to "Glengarry Glen Ross" to find a Baldwin role that compares to his turn as the evil Shelly Kaplow. This guy is one nasty customer, and not just when he's dealing with Bernie Lootz. As for Macy, he's made a career out of playing down on their luck losers (see "Fargo"), so his performance as the hapless Bernie Lootz is par for the course. He even says in an interview on the disc that he didn't want the role because he's played too many guys like Bernie before, but he changed his mind after learning the guy ends up winner. Aside from the performances, though, I liked the atmosphere in "The Cooler" a lot. This is the seamy side of Las Vegas, a side kept far away from the family friendly atmosphere and laser light shows. Kaplow's casino is a real hole in the wall, a place where winners might well end up out in the alley with a couple of broken ribs.

The extras on the disc are generous. There are two commentary tracks, a Sundance Channel "Anatomy of a Scene" feature, storyboards, and trailers for "Godsend," "Girl with a Pearl Earring," and "Shattered Glass." The only significant problem I had with "The Cooler" was the ending, which I found so far beyond the bounds of good luck as to be laughable. But hey, who's to say what can happen when lady luck rears her beautiful head? Give "The Cooler" a shot; it's a gem of a film with a feel good ending.





Rating:
Summary: Decent, not great.
Review: This movie is...
- Clever, great premise.
- Solid work by Macy.
- Enjoyable to watch, especially those who visit Vegas.
- Added bonuses on DVD help justify purchase.

This movie is NOT...
- All that memorable.
- Worth watching more than once.
- That great of a Christmas or birthday present.

Rating:
Summary: Alec Baldwin delivers his best performance ever
Review: Wow this was a great film, critics have maliciously attacked
Alec Baldwin for being a mediocre actor blessed with good looks,
but the critics will shutup after watching this film, this
is by far his best performance ever. What a film. Macy is also good in this gritty in your face take on the Casino business.

Bernie Lootz is the loser who never gets anything right, he works at a high price casino and hes job is to make people lose, well after a winning streak his "magic" wears off.

Enter Natalie Bellasario (Maria Bello from the awful "Out of Focus") who consoles Bernie, but Shelley Kaplow (Baldwin) can no longer stomach Bernie's failure coupled with the fact that his casino is in a drought and possibly be bought out.

The Cooler is a violent and dark look into the rich middle class of society and the despicable things they to stay at the top. However its also a great character study of dysfunctional beings who go from one bad situation to the next until they self destruct, that describes Bernie perfectly.

The twist ending was a joke, but the Cooler is essential
viewing.

Rating:
Summary: Cool performances cooled by cliche storm...
Review: This is one of those movies that wont stay on your mind because of their overall quality but it will because of some seriously good performances by the trio of actors carrying the lead roles.

In a script borrowing, remixing or downright copying from other casino films the day is indeed saved by actors like A. Baldwin, W.Macy and M.Belo all of whom are a treat to watch in this otherwise mediocre flick. Billed as a comedy, it wont draw many laughs but it will keep you watching nevertheless. Despite a very detectable lack of direction in a plot that swings from drama to lame comedic attempts constantly, it's those 3 actors that shine while the ship is sinking.

Baldwin might not seem like an ideal cast for an old-school casino manager but he pulls it off super convincingly playing the guy all smooth on the outside and scum-brutal behind closed doors, complete with some heavy baseball-bat swinging upon the knee caps of those who try to con him. Where he looks best is when he's delivering some of his many tough guy speeches to some of his soon-to-become-victims. His performance is reminiscent of the one he gave in another (though great) film, the "Glengary Glen Ross", and it's another reminder that this is a great actor who has probably been unfortunate in his film choices.

Macy, playing the guy with the surreal bad luck who spreads it around professionally to lucky players on the tables is also very convincing as the "Cooler" and way more of an obvious cast than Baldwin. Alone the way he drags his disturbing doom-delivering figure on the casino floors is a pure gem, not to mention the ominous look on his face while doing so.

These two are nicely complimented by an actress that really impressed me, Maria Belo, who delivers a very sexy performance and an equally diverse one simoultaneously. She eases through her role with an irresistible smile and with an obvious ability to switch from sweet to tough and gloomy within a split second.

No matter what these 3 do though is overall not enough to propel the film. It does say a lot though that i stayed watching till the end because of the aforementioned reasons.

Probably not a bad idea for a rental allthough i'd doubt anyone would actually want to own the "Cooler".

Rating:
Summary: decent flick
Review: This is a great little movie, despite the obviously deteriorating talents of Mr. Baldwin. I loved it.

Rating:
Summary: Derivative and unaffecting
Review: Here's a casino movie about losers that steals from every casino movie ever made and has virtually nothing new or original to say. William Macy, a master at characterizations like this one, plays a "cooler" -- a fellow in a casino with undying back luck that gets sent to tables to chill the winning streaks of people about to take too much from the casino.

Nothing wrong with the premise and using Macy in such a role seems right. He has played outstanding characters in movies like "Fargo" and the Turner made-for-TV film "Door To Door", where he played a real life salesman with a disability. Macy doesn't have much to work with in this role, however, and he is directed in a peculiarly disturbing way to show only a tired old man, even when his luck turns.

While Macy tries to save this dog, the scriptwriters put so much nonsense into the movie that it's impossible to suspend disbelief for long. First, Macy continues to work for the casino owner that crippled him. Next, a hot blonde half his age falls for Macy, the perennial loser.

The casino owner, a businessman looking to make money, refuses to bring his casino into modern times. At one point, the owner eschews modernization saying, "We took in $35 million last year." Maybe that's a lot for a casino. But it seems odd that the same casino could lose $1 million in a single night, which happens after Macy's luck changes and the people he is supposed to cool end up hotter than ever before.

There's another subplot in this film about Macy's son and his wife and their dishonesty that doesn't add much to the thing. There's also some hot sex between Macy and his girlfriend including an oral sex scene followed by kissing. I liked that better when it was portrayed on "Sex In The City" and the guy had a Krispy Kreme mustache. In this movie, like most other things, it just went flat.

Rating:
Summary: Just a simple good movie
Review: You have read the storyline here written by others. I knew nothing of this movie when I started watching it. It was the stars that even made me watch the unfolding story. What a loser, yes the heart of gold hooker (but it happens) and I like Alex Baldwin as an actor. He was a bit "hefty" in this roll but maybe the script called for over weight.

This isn't the kind of movie I can watch over and over because it is so strong. It is well work watching,tho but not for light even entertainment.(DVD)