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The Cooler

Play trailer Poster for The Cooler R 2003 1h 41m Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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78% Tomatometer 174 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Truly down on his luck, lonely single guy Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) works at a Las Vegas casino, where he uses his innate ability to bring about misfortune in those around him to jinx gamblers into losing. His imposing boss, Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin), is happy with the arrangement. But Bernie finds unexpected happiness when he begins dating attractive waitress Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello) -- and when his contentment starts to affect his job, Shelly seeks to end the relationship.
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The Cooler

The Cooler

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Critics Consensus

A small movie elevated by superb performances.

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Critics Reviews

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Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness 05/03/2005
D
A pointless, money-depleting waste of time to be avoided at all costs. Go to Full Review Wendy Ide The Times (UK) 06/16/2004
Macy wears his habitual hangdog expression like a cheap, crumpled suit that's been slept in a few too many times Go to Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle 01/18/2004
3/5
A blast to watch if for nothing more than the performances. Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Jun 2
2.5/4
...an exceedingly deliberate yet mostly engaging drama... Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 04/08/2023
A romantic heart beats under the cynical shell of... Wayne Kramer’s tale of losers, gamblers, gangsters, and the unluckiest man in the world. Go to Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens 11/07/2019
No tricks up the sleeve of director Kramer. Just good old-fashioned filmmaking. No "cooler" brushed up against The Cooler. A winning hand all around. Deal me in. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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mark G @Mark_Alan_G. 5d Not a fun movie by any means. However, beautifully shot and great performances. Maybe the best casting of any movie that year. I understand where some people might not be fans of the story, but if you buy-in, you will enjoy it quite a bit. Special shout-outs to Bello and Baldwin. Macy is always great. See more Matheus F @matheusf_neto Sep 8 This cast is perfect, thanks to William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin and Shawn Hatosy. See more Jeremy A @RT36671323 Apr 17 Great little romantic movie. Not too much gambling but set mostly in a casino. 4* See more Alain E @AlainE 01/26/2025 When I tried to rewatch it I stopped after 10 minutes. Too much unrealistic elements. Baldwin cannot see that his competition is doing much better. The crooner in the beginning sings quite well but he is a Medicare age drug junky. Bello’s character for unclear reasons wants to have sex with Macy. And on and on. See more James N @RT08254434 01/26/2024 One of my all-time favorite movies. Unique and original. Old school story telling you rarely see these days. See more Todd C @ilwacohawk 11/13/2023 Maybe my favorite role that I have seen Alec Baldwin in. I also thought it was sell acted by Bello and Macy. The story was interesting. There were some that complained about the realness of the plot. Doesn't bother me...it is a movie. I will say that Macy seems to always play the same guy with the same expressions. Not my favorite actor for sure, but was ok in this one. It seemed beautifully made to me. See more Read all reviews
The Cooler

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Cast & Crew

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Wayne Kramer

Director

William H. Macy

Bernie Lootz

Alec Baldwin

Shelly Kaplow

Maria Bello

Natalie Belisario

Shawn Hatosy

Mikey

Ron Livingston

Larry Sokolov

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The Cooler

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The Cooler

The Cooler (2003) The Cooler (2003) Maria Bello in The Cooler Alec Baldwin and William H. Macy in The Cooler View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Truly down on his luck, lonely single guy Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) works at a Las Vegas casino, where he uses his innate ability to bring about misfortune in those around him to jinx gamblers into losing. His imposing boss, Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin), is happy with the arrangement. But Bernie finds unexpected happiness when he begins dating attractive waitress Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello) -- and when his contentment starts to affect his job, Shelly seeks to end the relationship.
Director
Wayne Kramer
Producer
Michael A. Pierce, Sean Furst
Screenwriter
Frank Hannah, Wayne Kramer
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Production Co
Visionbox Pictures, Dog Pond Films, ContentFilm, Gryphon Films, Furst Films, Pierce-Williams
Rating
R
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 19, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 3, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.2M
Runtime
1h 41m
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