The Cooler(2003)

4/5

For the uninformed, Coolers are those who supposedly bring bad luck to the gambling table and are an old fashioned ploy by the casino bosses to make sure that the money of the house stays in the house. They are used to cool the hot winning spree of the players.

The Cooler is a story which revolves around three characters, the casino boss Shelly (Alec Baldwin in his only Oscar nominated role), his cooler Bernie (William H Macy) and the woman he falls in love with, Natalie (Maria Bello).

Shelly is being pestered by his other partners to have the casino renovated because they feel it is too old fashioned.  In particular there is a Harvard graduate (Ron Livingston) who is giving him advice about how to run the casino. To compound matters for him, the cooler begins to lose his touch when he falls in love with a waitress who works at the casino.

Shot stylishly this is a delightful movie. The jazz throughout the film gives it a nostalgic flavor. The songs playing in the background are excellent.

The real strength of the film is the acting. Baldwin is intense, mean, foul mouthed and scary which is a new act for him but he pulls it off pretty well. Bello is very good as the woman who inadvertently falls in love with Macy. But this is Macy’s movie out and out. He is excellent as the crippled, tense and afraid of his own luck cooler and you will find yourself rooting for him.

Watch this for Macy. He will end up mesmerizing you.