Some films work like a Greek tragedy, following characters through their lives to an inevitable fate that seems willed by the gods but was actually brought upon the characters by their own failings. “The Cooler” is a tragedy of this kind, or at least it tries to be. But it doesn’t have the courage to follow through with it, and on only a few points does it ring true. While enjoyable, the lack of a consistent tone leaves it flawed and purposeless.
The film stars William H. Macy, one of the best character actors in cinema today, as Bernie Lootz. Bernie is a loser. The saddest aspects of his life are that he is aware of it, and that is his only real skill. His poor luck is infectious, spreading to those around him like a dark cloud. He’s employed by Las Vegas-casino manager Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin) as a “cooler,” spreading his poor luck to the gamblers around him, making them lose and in turn making the casino profitable.
The problems start when Bernie meets Natalie (Maria Bello). When they fall in love, his luck begins to turn. However, his good luck turns out to be equally infectious and the casino patrons start winning in droves.
While this might all sound a bit absurd, it is to the film’s credit that it never makes you question the legitimacy of Bernie’s odd talent. Macy looks so run-down and pathetic that it is easy to believe he could make you lose three grand at blackjack just by standing next to you. But neither Macy nor the screenplay ever makes Bernie interesting enough to occupy an entire movie. It often feels like he’s existing in the background and is there only to be cheated, abused or pitied.
The character who does make an impression is Baldwin’s casino manager. He makes Shelly the kind of tough guy who might have gotten his cues from watching “The Godfather” but actually has the muscle to back it up. Throughout the film he seems like a throwback to the old Las Vegas, a city built by gangsters and gamblers, before it was spruced up for the tourist trade and made to cater to vacationing families.
In essence, this is the film’s major drawback. The central character seems diminutive in what is a minor role stretched to fill the entire movie, while one of the supporting characters exists with a purpose and a meaning. Shelly could fill a movie and make it interesting; Bernie can’t.
As for the rest of the cast, they are functional without being interesting. Bello’s Natalie is a worthy love interest and not much else. At times, her relationship with Bernie has flashes of honesty that might have given the film more weight had they been explored in depth. But unfortunately, their relationship is taken as a given, and her character is left underdeveloped. Her past is mentioned but is not believable, and her interest in astrology feels more like a tacked on quirk than a real character trait.
“The Cooler” is not without its good points. Baldwin’s performance could match his best work. The music and mood of the film all evoke a longing for a better — though admittedly more violent — time in Las Vegas’ history. It’s a theme that is developed to the point where there might have been a satisfying payoff for it, but that never happens.
The film’s conclusion also doesn’t hit the right note, and while Baldwin’s character comes to an end that is fitting for him, Macy’s and Bello’s characters do not. Their fate does not feel honest and seems tacked on to provide a satisfying conclusion. But because it isn’t honest it fails, leaving the film feeling incomplete. It seems like a waste of some good elements.
“The Cooler” opens next Friday at the Bijou Art Cinemas, located at 492 E. 13th Ave.