The Cooler
As strains of Frank Sinatra singing “Luck Be A Lady Tonight” waft through the background, Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) makes his way through the casino of the Shangri-La, an old time establishment hiding amongst the glitz and glitter of downtown Las Vegas. Bernie works at the Shangri-La, but he doesn’t deal cards, serve drinks or make change.
Bernie is the house jinx, known in the business as “The Cooler,” someone so incredibly unlucky all he has to do is make contact or play at your table and your winning streak is over. The gig doesn’t pay well (Bernie lives in a comfortable albeit rattrap of a motor lodge frequented by hookers), but Bernie isn’t in it for the money. He does it out of obligation for his friend Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin), the casino’s manager who believes he’s still living in the 1960s.
In director Wayne Kramer compelling character study “The Cooler,” we learn several things about Las Vegas, most importantly that the odds are always stacked in the casino’s favor, and that includes Bernie’s extended tenure as he pays off his debt to Shelly. With only a week owed on his debt, Bernie makes it known that he wants out. How far would a friend and boss go in order to insure that his unlucky good luck token doesn’t take a walk?
Raise the stakes? Throw more money at him? Or hook him up with the beautiful but unattainable blonde cocktail waitress Bernie has had his eyes on? Kramer and co-writer Frank Hannah lay all of their cards on the table, and allow the characters to filter through the deck of betrayal, deceit and above all else, true love. Maria Bello is exceptional as Natalie, the cocktail waitress who believes she’s doing Shelly a favor and gets blind-sided by Bernie’s unexpected passion and sincerity.
“The Cooler” is a small movie with a big heart and even bigger aspirations. As the film’s director, Kramer has picked a winning cast. Macy is excellent as the perennial loser whose luck changes, bad news for Shelly, who is under pressure to bring the casino into the modern era. With his sad sack look and genuine smile, Macy is marvelous as he navigates a full range of emotions. His sex scenes with Bello, brash, bare, provocative, are also funny because we, like Bernie, cannot believe his luck.
“The Cooler” is more of a fable than a cautionary tale, with two of life’s losers rising to the top of the heap, holding onto that small streak of hope that true love will conquer all. Place your money on this winning, charming, and occasionally black comedy with a big pay off.
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THE COOLER
William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Alec Baldwin, Shawn Hatosy, Estella Warren, Ron Livingston, Paul Sorvino. Directed by Wayne Kramer. Rated R. 103 Minutes.
LARSEN RATING: $7.00
