The Cooler

A man for whom the description 'hangdog' was invented, William H. Macy is Bernie Lootz, a desperately unlucky fellow. So unlucky in fact that he is employed by casino chief Shelly (Alec Baldwin) to act as the establishment's 'Cooler' - an individual whose very presence seems to lower the winning streaks of high rollin' customers. When Bernie threatens to leave his employers, the under pressure Shelly employs the equally hapsided Natalie (Mario Bello) to add some zest into his top cooler's life and convince him to hang around.

Okay, if you've seen one romantic drama, you'll have a fair idea of what might happen next. The Cooler may lack a measure of originality but the actors, given much to work with, supply the sort of honest and eloquent performances that you don't see all that often. Plotwise, writer-director Wayne Kramer riffs off familiar sources - David Mamet and the Coen brothers ocassionally come to mind - but his decision to allow the actors ample time and space to inhabit their characters is an inspired one. Baldwin in particular is excellent, weighing in with his best work since that jaw-dropping cameo Glengarry Glen Ross all those years ago.