The Cooler

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The Cooler

70% Liked It
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The Cooler

Alec Baldwin, Arthur J. Nascarella, Don Scribner, Ellen Greene, Estella Warren

The Cooler is Bernie Lootz, a loser who has made his career out of his contagious bad luck. The Cooler plies his trade, working on the floor of Las Vegas' aging Shangri-La casino, an old-school "gambl...( read more  read more... )er's casino," a dinosaur in the shadow of the new Strip and its theme-park attractions. In this purgatory of bright lights and chirping slots, Bernie drifts from table to table, his bad karma cooling one gambler's lucky streak after another. Like an inmate serving time, Bernie has been here for years, paying off a nasty gambling debt he owes to the Shangri-La's slippery Director of Operations, Shelly Kaplow. Bernie is just days away from fulfilling his debt when he meets Natalie, a new cocktail waitress at the Shangri-La. Natalie sweeps Bernie off his feet, and after a night of much-needed raucous sex, Bernie is in love. When Natalie starts to love him back, Bernie's luck starts to change. Feeling good for the first time in years, Bernie can't wait to leave Las Vegas and move on with his life with the woman of his dreams. But will Shelly let his most valued asset leave so easily?

Id: 10894959

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Recent Reviews

The Cooler Recent Reviews
  • SirPant
    September 29, 2009
    SirPant
    A very stylish, intelligent and cool film. I found the beginning sequence of the demolition of classic casinos extremely moving and I?ve never even been to Vagas! Recommended!
  • kenstachnik
    April 18, 2009
    kenstachnik
    I can't help but say the name of this film like the German's in the great escape.
  • stopitgoaway
    April 16, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    A "cooler" is a guy who stands next to you in a casino when you are having a winning streak that is suddenly interrupted. It is someone who has such a bad luck that people around him are influenced; he could be pretty important for casino bosses. The cooler here is Bernie and the...( read more) face of William H. Macy is perfect for him. The casino boss is Shelly in a wonderful performance from Alec Baldwin. Soon Bernie will leave, but not before he has met and fallen in love with Natalie, played by Maria Bello (for me only known from 'Payback', 'Coyote Ugly' and "A history of violence"), a third terrific performance. She seems to like him also and suddenly that means Bernie is lucky. This will give, unfortunately for Shelly and therefore himself as well, results on the casino floor. Things are getting complicated.

    The story is pretty original and entertaining on itself. A sub-plot that deals with the idea of remodeling the casino into a more modern one, not if it is up to Shelly, gives him a reason to be annoyed and show his more cruel side. Baldwin is at best in these scenes. The performances take the film to the next level. Baldwin won an Oscar nomination and it is pretty clear why. You believe him the entire time, no matter what he does. From Macy we expect a good performance, he is one of the best character-actors out there. I was also pleasantly surprised with Bello, an Oscar nomination would not have been strange here; she is very good, even great in the scenes with Macy. In the end 'The Cooler' is a good film, becoming better through performances, amusing all the way through.
  • limoradalloway
    December 1, 2008
    limoradalloway
    Confusing and just not my cup of tea.
  • mrpopcorn
    November 13, 2008
    mrpopcorn
    "When your life depends on losing... the last thing you need is lady luck."

    Writer/director Wayne Kramer offers a glimpse into the aging Las Vegas casino world with the romantic drama The Cooler. Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is extremely unlucky at gambling, and he owes...( read more) the Shangri-La casino over 100,000 dollars. He is so unlucky that he is hired as a "cooler," someone to gamble next to high rollers and give them some of his bad luck to stop them from winning. This arrangement works out for awhile, until Bernie has almost paid off his debt and meets cocktail waitress Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello). The two start to fall in love and Bernie's luck begins to change. However, the old-fashioned mob boss Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin) isn't going to let Bernie go so easily. Meanwhile, Larry Sokolov (Ron Livingston) arrives on the scene to help update the business management of the old mobster-run casino. Also starring Joey Fatone and Paul Sorvino as lounge singers. The Cooler was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the dramatic competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.

    Review
    This movie is definitely worth seeing. Thinking back, all the buzz around Baldwin's performance is worthy. I thought Bello was good, just not so good as to garner all the praise for the role. Of course Macy is always great, and this seems like a role written just for him. It's great to see him in a lead role. Without giving away anything, the story got some interesting turns, but I kind of expected the ending from the flow of the movie. Maybe not precisely, but the gist of it...there was one loose end I would've liked tied up. With the time spent on the specific sub-plot, you'll probably also wonder.

    Great old school Vegas casino. It adds a fun background, especially if you like playing the odds.
  • skotjay
    November 23, 2009
    skotjay
    I LOVE this movie, watch it. Pretty please?

    "You look in the mirror, you don't like what you see? Don't believe it. Look in my eyes. I am the only mirror you're ever gonna need. You look in my eyes."-Bernie Lootz "The Cooler"
  • 21rclemente
    November 16, 2009
    21rclemente
    Fairly intriguing, if I remember correctly
  • blackeyedsurfer
    November 11, 2009
    blackeyedsurfer
    The Cooler is one of those old-fashioned Vegas movies that brings out the darkest the city has to offer, literally. The lighting and production design take cues from the story, featuring three characters each fighting their own set of demons. Alec Baldwin plays himself, as usual,...( read more) and is unappealing as ever, storming around menacingly as an outdated casino owner. William H. Macy and Maria Bello more than make up for it however, as the casino's star "cooler," who brings bad luck to players on a hot streak, and as the cocktail waitress he falls in love with, who has a few secrets of her own.
  • wetzelman
    October 27, 2009
    wetzelman
    Original movie. Great acting by Macy, Baldwin and Bello especially. The kind of stuff I like, because its different and entertaining.
  • madmorning
    July 17, 2009
    madmorning
    Fantastic film, a great look at at the loneliness of the casino life.
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