The Cooler

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The Cooler

R

2003

1h 41m

Drama

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

164 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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Critics Consensus

A small movie elevated by superb performances.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

May 3, 2005

D

A pointless, money-depleting waste of time to be avoided at all costs.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

Jun 16, 2004

Macy wears his habitual hangdog expression like a cheap, crumpled suit that's been slept in a few too many times

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Jan 18, 2004

3/5

A blast to watch if for nothing more than the performances.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Jun 2, 2025

2.5/4

...an exceedingly deliberate yet mostly engaging drama...

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Apr 8, 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.

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Nov 7, 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.

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Dave A

@Arazmo Apr 24, 2026

Hilariously done. Watchable for how predictably dumb it is and for naked Maria Bello. The non main character casting is super cartoonish.

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mark G

@Mark_Alan_G. Mar 19, 2026

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.

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Matheus F

@matheusf_neto Sep 8, 2025

I loked the script and some performances.

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Jeremy A

@RT36671323 Apr 17, 2025

Great little romantic movie. Not too much gambling but set mostly in a casino. 4*

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Alain E

@AlainE Jan 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.

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James N

@RT08254434 Jan 26, 2024

One of my all-time favorite movies. Unique and original. Old school story telling you rarely see these days.

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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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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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