Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is a man with a curse. He is a walking bad luck charm. He works at Shangri-la Casino which is run by old pal, Shelley (Alec Baldwin), a man who paid off his debts and knee-capped him into the bargain. Lootz becomes the casino’s ‘cooler’ – a man who stands by a gamblers’ winning streak and causes him to lose. However, when he meets cocktail waitress Natalie (Maria Bello) he falls in love and she becomes his Lady Luck.
Wayne Kramer’s thriller is infused with magical realism and a finely tuned cast. William H Macy (Fargo, Magnolia, Pleasantville; Seabiscuit) gives another subtle but exacting performance, proving he’s one of today’s leading character actors. Alec Baldwin (Beetlejuice; The Juror) stars as the embattled Shelley (winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination), along with Maria Bello (Auto Focus) ably continues to prove there’s life after TV’s ER. The Cooler is released to buy on DVD and VHS on 25th October 2004.
