The Cooler (2003)

	Directed by: Wayne Kramer	COUNTRY USA GENRE Romance/Drama NORWEGIAN TITLE The Cooler RUNNING TIME 101 minutes
	Produced by: Sean Furst Michael Pierce
	Written by: Wayne Kramer Frank Hannah

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Bernie Lootz	William H. Macy
Shelly Kaplow	Alec Baldwin
Natalie Belisario	Maria Bello	½
Mikey	Shawn Hatosy	½
Larry Sokolov	Ron Livingston	½
Buddy	Paul Sorvino

Review

William H. Macy and Maria Bello are an unconventional romantic couple in this gloomy, nostalgic film about Las Vegas life and the people who live it. The film is aptly photographed and blessed with a delightful jazzy score by Mark Isham, which provides an appealing backdrop for filmmaker Wayne Kramer's story about love, obsession and fortune. Unfortunately, Kramer is a bit too eager to convey a message (and a somewhat naive one) relative to how much he has to say. There is power in the portrayal of Bernie and Shelly – two lost souls devoured by a cold environment – and fine acting by Macy and Alec Baldwin makes them a deeply human and sadly vulnerable duo, but alas, they are caught in a film that never truly explores the supernatural themes that it uses for all they are worth, notably in the banal ending. Baldwin received an Oscar nomination for his performance, which is reminiscent of his role in Glengarry Glen Ross, with an added, subtle soft spot.