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The Cooler

2003

Wayne Kramer

William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy ...

6.5

4,144

Thriller. Drama The unluckiest man in Vegas (William H. Macy) - a guy whose bad luck is contagious - is used by the last of the old time mob run casinos to kill high rollers' action. That is, until he falls in love with a cocktail waitress (Maria Bello) and gets "lady luck," which throws the situation into reverse. Things turn nasty when the casino director (Alec Baldwin) tries to break up the romance.

	Author	Review
United States	Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times	"There's more to the movie than at first it seems (...) The story's strength is all in the telling; no synopsis will prepare you for the emotional charge that's eventually delivered (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"	POS
United Kingdom	Kim Newman Empire	"You need to buy into the fable-like premise to click with the story, but it's a good, simple idea, well executed (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	A. O. Scott The New York Times	"This picture is rescued from cliché by the quality of the acting, and Mr. Kramer wisely gives the actors room to work."	POS
United States	Peter Travers Rolling Stone	"An indelibly funny and heartfelt love story (...) The Cooler places all the smart bets and hits the jackpot (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"	POS
United States	Nathan Rabin AV Club	"As a movie about flesh-and-blood human beings, The Cooler is hokey and convoluted, but as a sticky-hearted fable of redemption, it's surprisingly seductive."	NEU
United Kingdom	Alan Jones Radio Times	"Smart, amusing and intriguing. Yet it's the poignantly low-key, utterly believable and well-written romance between the brilliant Macy and Bello - who's a revelation here - that drives the drama"	POS
United States	Rex Reed The New York Observer	"A grim companion piece to Leaving Las Vegas."	POS
United States	Lou Lumenick New York Post	"The best thing Baldwin has done in years, and a triumph of low-budget storytelling by a director to watch."	POS

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