Review of The Cooler (2003) by Luke P — 24 Apr 2009
Who else but William H. Macy could play luck-less loser Bernie Lootz? His demeanor, his style, his sad-sack "i'm a 3 legged dog, adopt me" face are all perfect for the role, and debut writer/ director Wayne Kramer has brought the best performance out of him since Fargo and PT Anderson's pair of classics Boogie Nights and Magnolia.
Maria Bello is excellent as the lover who changes his luck, and Alec Baldwin is so awesome as the casino owner trying to hold onto the old days, at any cost. It's incredibly well shot, capturing the grimy, seedy neon-drenched Las Vegas in all it's glory, but this is really an actor's showcase.
The 3 leads give career-best performances, and there a pleasure to watch. They devour Kramer's screenplay like only good actors can. An incredibly enjoyable little film, about love, luck and trying to hold onto the old ways.
This review of The Cooler (2003) was written by Luke P on 24 Apr 2009.
The Cooler has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
