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The Cooler (2003)

Director:
Wayne Kramer 
COUNTRY
USA
GENRE
Romance/Drama
NORWEGIAN TITLE
The Cooler
RUNNING TIME
101 minutes
Producer:
Sean Furst
Michael Pierce
Screenwriter:
Wayne Kramer
Frank Hannah


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Bernie Lootz William H. Macy
Shelly Kaplow Alec Baldwin
Natalie Belisario Maria Bello ½
Mikey Shawn Hatosy ½
Larry Sokolov Ron Livingston ½
Buddy Paul Sorvino

 

Review

William H. Macy and Maria Bello constitute the unconventional romantic couple in this gloomy, nostalgic film about Las Vegas life and the people in it. The film is appropriately photographed and blessed with a delightful jazzy score by Mark Isham which provides an appealing backdrop for Wayne Kramer's story about love, obsession and fortune. Unfortunately, Kramer is a bit too eager to convey a message (and a somewhat naive one) compared to how much he has to say. There is power in the depiction of Bernie and Shelly - two lost souls devoured by a cold environment, and fine acting by Macy and Baldwin makes them human and sadly vulnerable, but unfortunately, they are caught in a film that flinches from exploring the supernatural propositions which it uses for all they're worth, notably in the banal ending. Baldwin received an Oscar-nomination for his work, which is Glengarry Glen Ross material with a well-hidden soft spot.

Copyright © 27.8.2007 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang

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