Plot & Details
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 Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello). The two start to fall in love and Bernie's luck begins to change. However, the old-fashioned mob boss Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin) isn't going to let Bernie go so easily. Meanwhile, Larry Sokolov (Ron Livingston) arrives on the scene to help update the business management of the old mobster-run casino. Also starring Joey Fatone and Paul Sorvino as lounge singers. The Cooler was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the dramatic competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.
- MPAA Rating: R
- Genre(s): Comedy,Drama,Romance
- Run Time: 103min.
- Theatrical Release Date: 11/26/2003
- DVD Release Date: 04/27/2004
- Distributor(s): Lions Gate Films
- Director(s): Wayne Kramer
- Starring: William H. Macy , Maria Bello , Alec Baldwin , Shawn Hatosy , Ron Livingston
- Themes: Dangerous Attraction,Down on Their Luck,Cons and Scams,Gambling
- Tone: Bittersweet,Gloomy,Humorous,Sexy,Melancholy,Wistful
- Keywords: casino,gambling,luck,mob-boss,sex,singer,waiter/waitress
- Country of Origin: USA - Limited (11-26-2003)
- Language: English
Awards
Academy Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Cast & Crew | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | Best Supporting Actor | Alec Baldwin | Nominated |
Golden Globes
| Year | Award | Category | Cast & Crew | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Hollywood Foreign Press Association | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture | Alec Baldwin | Nominated |
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