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The Cooler - 11/26/03(Limited) - R - 101m
William
H. Macy - Bernie Lootz
Maria Bello - Natalie Belisario
Alec Baldwion - Shelly Kaplow
Director: Wayne Kramer
Written by: Wayne Kramer and Frank Hannah
Studio: Lions Gate Films
Official
Website
JEF
I was really looking forward to this film. We heard early reports
of this film that we decided to help promote on the main page. We had
the chance to read a small synopsis of the story, and it sounded like
it was going to be a great “artsy” film. I had also recently
heard there might be some Oscar nominations for the acting in this film.
Storyline: Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) has a unique
talent. He seems to have bad luck. Not just the occasional streak of bad
luck that many of us have all gone through, but Bernie seems to have bad
luck all the time. Not only does he have bad luck, he has a sort of cloud
or aura about him that he can bring bad luck to those around him. Thus
the name “The Cooler”. Bernie is hired by the Shangri La Casino
to be a “cooler” he goes from table to table to end any sort
of winning streak a player is on. He is paged over the loud speaker of
the casino to travel to table 15. He then will either simply walk past
the table, or perhaps stop and bet maybe one chip, and just this action
alone, is enough to wipe out the winning streak of all those gathered
at the gambling table. Now introduce a love interest, and is it possible
that Bernie’s luck could change? Maybe…
I’m going to keep this one short. The movie had some terrific acting.
I’ve been a big fan of Macy, and enjoy many of his films, but even
though his acting, and those of his co-stars were very well done, it was
the story that bothered me the most. We (the audience) were spoon fed
every little detail and plot twist. An example of this would be when Bernie
and Natalie (Maria Bello) are in a local coffee shop; one of them knocks
over the saltshaker. An old superstition that this will bring bad luck.
But not only are we shown this little omen of bad luck, but it is shown
in slow-motion, and with an overly loud and dramatic “Thud”
as the salt shaker hits the table. We get it! It’s bad luck! This
sort of effect or method was used several times during the film.
This could have been a great movie, that dealt with luck, and fate, and
gambling, that anyone who has ever had the fortune (or in many cases the
mis-fortune) to throw some money into a one-armed bandit, or play some
cards or dice would have surely been able to relate to. Instead the story
is so transparent and predictable. Nothing in the film came as a shock,
or surprise.
I must give props to Alec Baldwin he did a great job at playing the slimy
casino boss. If he is nominated and even wins an Oscar for this performance
I will be the first to say that he earned it. Unfortunately the storyline
around the acting was so lame, that I cannot recommend this film.
Jef
Here’s what Lyn thought…
