The Cooler DVD Review:

Every year around award season, it seems that smaller budget films that focus on character rather than plot, suddenly become more widespread. In
small art house cinemas all around Los Angeles and New York, these films sit and wait patiently for the award nominations to be announced. Sometimes these films end up becoming huge hits at the box office, merely for the fact that the performers are being recognized. This year was a perfect example with Monster, an average film which drew attention because of the remarkable perfomances. This year also had The Cooler, which won few awards, and spent little time in the spotlight, which makes it one of the best sleeper hits of the year.

The Cooler starts with a grandly pathetic entrance by Bernie, played by William H. Macy, the unluckiest man in Vegas. He meekly limps his way across a casino floor, passing his bad luck onto every person he touches. He limps as a result of bad gambling debts, which have brought him to this point, working for the casino Shangri-La, as a cooler. A cooler is an old fashioned man who is brought in to bring bad luck to the big winners, as a way to save the casino money.

Bernie is the best at what he does, but his debt is almost paid, and he will be free to go. This is upseting to the casino manager, played by Alec
Baldwin, because his casino is in the middle of a lot of changes being brought on by the partners of the casino. Everything changes suddenly for Bernie though, when he begins a romantic relationship with coctail waitress Natalie, played by Maria Bello. Natalie brings luck into Bernie's life, which leaks into his work. Things begin to complicate with many sudden events such as the return of Bernie's son and his seemingly pregnant fiance.

The Cooler is a wonderful tale with just enough fantasy to allow the rest of the film to remain very realistic. Like many of the films out right now,
there is a stark dramatic sense to The Cooler, but unlike many films such as Monster, or 21 Grams, this film knows how to add variety with humor. The
performances may be more subtle because of this, but they are just as worthy of praise. Baldwin is at the top of his game, playing a role that seems
written for him, and Macy is fantastic as always.

The Cooler is one of the lighter dramas of the season, and somehow the characters seem easier to care about. Wayne Kramer, who directs and also
co-writes, creates Vegas as a glamorous setting, staying with the fantasy feeling, leaving all of the sleaze out of the casino. The Cooler is one of
the less important films of the year, but also one of the more injoyable ones.

The DVD has a bland main menu which makes the opening of the film seem redundant, and their don't seem to be enough special features, although
there are a few surprises. The Director and crew commentary is interesting and sometimes fun, and the Anatomy of a Scene is sure to please film buffs.
Over all it is a tech-filled DVD, even including a storyboard comparison.

This may not have been one of the big hits of the award season, but then again, what was other than The Return of the King. The Cooler is one of the
most fun, and also painful, films to come out in a while. Not to mention it is wonderfully cinematic in every sense of the word.

Ryan Izay

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