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The Cooler (2003)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 169
Fresh: 130 | Rotten: 39

A small movie elevated by superb performances.

Average Rating: 7.2/10
Critic Reviews: 37
Fresh: 33 | Rotten: 4

A small movie elevated by superb performances.

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Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 18,103

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Movie Info

Writer/director Wayne Kramer offers a glimpse into the aging Las Vegas casino world with the romantic drama The Cooler. Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is extremely unlucky at gambling, and he owes the Shangri-La casino over 100,000 dollars. He is so unlucky that he is hired as a "cooler," someone to gamble next to high rollers and give them some of his bad luck to stop them from winning. This arrangement works out for awhile, until Bernie has almost paid off his debt and meets cocktail waitress

R, 1 hr. 43 min.

Drama, Romance

Directed By: Wayne Kramer

Written By: Frank Hannah, Wayne Kramer

In Theaters: Nov 26, 2003 Wide

On DVD: Apr 27, 2004

Box Office:$8.2M

Lions Gate Films

The Cooler Trailer & Photos

More Photos (6)

Cast

William H. Macy
Bernie Lootz
Maria Bello
Natalie Belisario
Alec Baldwin
Shelly Kaplow
Shawn Hatosy
Mikey
Ron Livingston
Larry Sokolov
Paul Sorvino
Buddy Stafford
Estella Warren
Charlene
Arthur J. Nascarella
Nicky "Fingers" Bonnatt...
M.C. Gainey
Highway Officer
Ellen Greene
Doris
Joey Fatone
Johnny Capella
Don Scribner
Lou
Tony Longo
Tony
Richard Israel
Marty Goldfarb
Timothy Landfield
The Player
T. J. Gioia
Bulldog
Jewel Shepard
Hooker
Gordon Michaels
Mr. Pinkerton
Doc Watson
Morrie
Frank Hannah
Dealer #2
Dan Lemieux
Suburbanite
Larry Elliott
Floor Manager
Chris Platt
Dealer
Norbert Ganska
Stickman #1
Mitch Samboceti
Player
Andrew Simbeck
Stickman #2
Danny Grossen
Stickman #3
Jeff Hill
Stickman #4
Monet Beaman
Stickman #5
Charlie Carr
Boxman
Kanie Kastroll
Croupier
Bryon Baker
Stickman #6
John T. Kozeluh
Man
Cherilyn Hayres
Woman
Monica White
Johnny Capella's Girls
Heather McHenry
Johnny Capella's Girls
James McCarthy
Televangelist
M.C. Fatone
Highway Officer
Joe Conti
Pit Boss

Critic Reviews for The Cooler

All Critics (177) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (134) | Rotten (39) | DVD (26)

In reconstructing Macy's equal-opportunity loser persona as a romantic winner, The Cooler forgets what made its star so winning in the first place.

January 16, 2004 Full Review Source: Toronto Star

| Comment

Geoff Pevere

Toronto Star

Top Critic

A B-movie in the best sense: Unpretentious. Raffish. Just trashy enough to be six kinds of fun without making you hate yourself in the morning.

January 16, 2004 Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel

| Comment

Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

Top Critic

A movie without a compass, switching pace and direction as haphazardly as a caffeinated SUV driver on a cellphone.

January 16, 2004 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

| Comment

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

It's pretty winning for a long way, reminding us that everything in life is a kind of gamble, and if you don't play, you'll never win.

January 15, 2004 Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

| Comment

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Top Critic

Had The Cooler stuck to its dark guns and not turned into a treacly, love-conquers-all fairy tale, this movie might have gone somewhere.

December 19, 2003 Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

A surprising, ingenious film.

December 19, 2003 Comment

Ann Hornaday

Washington Post

Top Critic

"The Cooler" is a complex 'small' movie that packs a big punch.

May 11, 2009 Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com

| Comment

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

What elevates this Vegas-set drama above the routine is the high-caliber acting of William H. Macy, Maria Bello, and especially Alex Baldwin, who received a well-deserved Oscar nomination.

December 28, 2008 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

Alec Baldwin se encarga de que Shelly sea por lejos el personaje m�s interesante de esta historia (...)

September 19, 2005 Full Review Source: Uruguay Total

| Comment

Enrique Buchichio

Uruguay Total

A pointless, money-depleting waste of time to be avoided at all costs.

May 3, 2005 Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness

| Comment

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

A curious mix of thug violence, romance, and whimsy.

October 14, 2004 Full Review | Comment

Steve Crum

Kansas City Kansan Source: Kansas City Kansan

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Cooler

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Yet another good William H. Macy movie. Very well made and well acted movie. Seems like this would really be something that casinos do.

October 14, 2010

Cynthia S.

Super Reviewer

Macy at his best supported by Bello as her star was rising and Baldwin at his scene stealing sinister peak. Just short of classic on account of the flimsy 'luck' premise being stretched beyond credulity.

September 22, 2010

Gordon A

Super Reviewer

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