“The Cooler” (Lions Gate Films)
If you are a faithful William H Macy fan you are going to love the new movie “The Cooler.” With this movie Macy emerges from the supporting actor slot he has always occupied into that of a full-fledged star. He is the focal point of the movie and the one who carries it from start to finish.
Macy plays Bernie Lootz, a guy whose luck is so bad that he is hired as a “cooler” by a club in Vegas. A “cooler” is a person who exudes bad luck and can even have it flow from him to the persons in his immediate vicinity. So when a person is in a club and is having a hot streak of winning, Lootz is called and his bad luck changes the guy’s fortune.
Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin) is the man who runs the Shangri-La Casino. He is Lootz’ long time friend and employer. Lootz is loyal to a fault and has agreed to work as Shelly’s cooler until he has repaid the money he owes him.
One night Lootz meets Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello), who works at the Shangri-La as a cocktail waitress. The two of them strike up a friendship that soon develops into a more lasting relationship. Bernie can’t believe a woman like Natalie could care for him. He feels like the luckiest guy in the world and suddenly he is. All of his bad luck has disappeared and as a “cooler” his career is over.
Now the problem is how to repay Shelly the money owed him. Being a “cooler” is the only talent he had.
Macy is amazing as the sad sack Bernie. He makes you feel the man’s pain and desolation. But he is just as good at portraying his joy and elation when Bernie and Natalie click.
Bello is equally good as Natalie. She is world-weary and tired, but still sexy and vibrant. Bello is an actress who can even make her eyes mirror the sadness her character feels. Together she and Macy are an amazing team.
Baldwin has the role of his career as Shelly. He makes him forceful and fearless. He is the last of a breed in Las Vegas and he guards his kingdom against outsiders and interlopers. Baldwin makes him believable at every turn.
The movie is rated R for violence, nudity and profanity. There are some pretty explicit sexual scenes in this film between Macy and Bello’s characters.
“The Cooler” is a low key but impressive movie. It is a story that has some twists and concerns characters who generally would never be in the spotlight. By bringing these average Joes to the forefront, Director Wayne Kramer has made a movie that is fascinating and absorbing.
“The Cooler” is one hot movie thanks to the performances of Macy, Bello and Baldwin. It will give you two hours of entertainment and a lot of food for thought.
I scored “The Cooler” a chilly 8 out of 10.
