Bernie Lootz (Macy)
is the Cooler, but also the
unluckiest
man in Vegas. His bad luck is so contagious that Shelly Kaplow
(Baldwin), the
last of the
old-time
mobsters who now owns the Shangri-La, uses Bernie
to kill the
high rollers'
action at his casino. but when Bernie meets Natalie (Bello) and
falls in love, he gives
a whole new meaning
to being
"unlucky in
love".
CRITIQUE
The Cooler is
an actor's showcase, but just as much a showcase for the writing
and directing. Scripted by Frank Hannah and Wayne Kramer, the
script tells a heartwarming story that features realistic and
down-to-earth characters. Dialogue ranges from serious to
passionate, the script finding just the right words for the
characters. Embodying Bernie with absolute certainty and
convincingly is William H. Macy, the actor showing once again why
he's not only great but also quite versatile. He's starred in a
long variety of different films, ranging from Boogie Nights
to Panic, as well as from David Mamet's Homicide to
the 2002 TV movie Door to Door. He also co-starred in this
year's Spartan, an excellent mystery thriller from David
Mamet.
Macy wouldn't be so
great if it weren't for the memorable performance by Maria Bello.
Her character is more complex than one might've imagined in the
beginning, and late in the film Bernie finds out the truth behind
their romance. Bello makes an impact using her natural charm and
good looks. The script doesn't make their romance feel forced,
instead relying on real emotions and situations. A workable
subplot in the script involves Bernie's son Mikey (Shawn Hatosy)
who one day shows up with his pregnant girlfriend Charlene
(Estella Warren).
However, things get
complicated when Mikey tries to cheat at a cards game at Shelly
Kaplow's (Alec Baldwin) Shangri-La casino. Bernie and Shelly's
background is not revealed until about halfway into the film, but
when it is the information certainly puts on a sad face
considering both these guys are still friends, so to speak,
especially after what Shelly did to Bernie.
The Cooler
also makes an impression on the filmmaking side. Wayne Kramer
directs passionately and with grace, not letting a scene drag or
feel inadequate. The amount of attention or detail paid to various
aspects of the production, such as clothing, sets, and lighting,
gives the film all the more credence. Again, the script is very
well written with real good dialogue and character interactions.
Plus, James Whitaker's cinematography is very nice, and Mark
Isham's score is accommodating in its jazzy-type origin.
THE VIDEO
Lions Gate presents The
Cooler in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. With gorgeous and
well-saturated colors, as well as great detail and sharpness,
the picture quality is very good. The print image doesn't suffer
from any flaws, yet the presentation suffers a bit from
compression artifacts. Grain appears sparingly. Black levels and
dark tones look good. Optional subtitles include English and
Spanish.
THE AUDIO
Lions Gate presents The
Cooler in English 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. Dialogue is
usually pretty clear and easy to understand. The front speakers
get most of the workout from the soundtrack, and they do a good
job. Positional audio is fine, the score sounds pretty nice, and
the surrounds only do a minimal job. Surround usage is evident
only during brief moments, but overall this presentation is just
fine.
THE EXTRAS
Two audio
commentaries are available, both of which are interesting to
listen to. The first track, commentary by director/co-writer
Wayne Kramer, co-writer Frank Hannah, and cinematographer Jim
Whitaker, is the better of the two with very good
information and its engaging feel. The second track features
commentary by Wayne Kramer and composer Mark Isham. Kramer
serves as interviewer while Isham answers questions about
scoring and other things.
The 21-minute
Anatomy of a Scene documentary, courtesy of the Sundance
Channel, takes an in-depth look at a pivotal scene in the film
and reveals interesting information about it. Good interviews
and on-set footage lead the documentary. Rounding out the extras
is a 5.1 Music-Only Track, storyboard comparisons
for two scenes, and bonus trailers (click the Lions Gate
logo to view them).
The
102-minute feature is organized into twenty-four chapters.
The disc comes in an Amaray keepcase with no insert.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Cooler tells
an emotional story with memorable characters, and is well written and
directed. Video/audio quality is very nice, and the few supplemental
features are both entertaining and interesting. A recommended rental.
Macy fans will find a purchase worth it.
