The Cooler film review

certificate_15

THE COOLER

A 'cooler' is someone employed by casinos because they're considered so unlucky their mere presence will turn the fortunes of a winning gambler. In this dark but tender love story, Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the best cooler in the business. His whole life is dogged by misfortune. Every facet of his lonely, miserable existence is testimony to ill fortune, right down to the little things like his cat leaving home, his plants dying and the milk jug being empty every time he gets a coffee.

If ever a face was genetically designed to portray a loser, it's Macy's. His doleful expression oozes self pity and defeat. Given a rare chance at a lead role, and a romantic lead role at that, Macy is at his unassuming best. He has the title role, but the piece is also heavily indebted to the wonderful work of Maria Bello and Alec Baldwin.

The Cooler is an odd blend of brutality and sensitivity. Centered on a Las Vegas casino that more closely resembles the old mob run operations than the new wholesome family resorts, the film takes place in some kind of warped, isolated reality. Little of this world or the people that inhabit it seem authentic. The level of artifice created by director Wayne Kramer is stylish, disquieting and effective. Things look familiar yet unfamiliar as the film floats somewhere between gritty drama and glossy fantasy.

Maria Bello plays Natalie, whose sorrowful life almost matches that of Bernie's. Things have got so bad that she's employed by the casino's ruthless boss Shelly (Alec Baldwin) to befriend Bernie in an effort to keep him at the Shangri La where he's been for the past six years paying off a gambling debt. Shelly wants to run the Shangri La the old school way and keep the "stroller crowd" out, but is facing increasing pressure to modernize. His ploy backfires, though, when Natalie is drawn to the hapless loser and their unlikely love affair turns Bernie's luck.

There are some brutal moments as Shelly fights to maintain power, but The Cooler is essentially a touching love story involving two lost souls who find strength and hope in each other's arms. Their passionate relationship, revealed frankly, is one of survival, and imbues The Cooler with a warm heart.