Old School Vegas



The Cooler (DVD).



Beautifully photographed in an unvarnished Vegas, William H. Macy plays "the cooler" in an old-school casino. Employed by the Casino manager (Alec Baldwin), the cooler brings bad luck to a hot table or a gambler on a roll. The bad karma emanating from Macy is visceral. Everything in his life is dead or dying and his contract in Vegas is days from coming to a close. Then, a seemingly chance encounter with a cocktail waitress (Maria Bello) changes everything. They fall for each other - hard. And the cooler's dance with lady luck begins anew.



Plagued by a bunch of serious plot holes, the script is probably the weakest link in the film. Macy, Baldwin and Bello are each outstanding in their respective roles, salvaging - with sheer determination and skill - what could have been a disaster. Because they are so believable... we believe. In the possibilities that love brings... and lady luck.



DVD: The Cooler (2003)