DVD review: The Cooler

You ever just have one of those days?
I mean, really, you wonder what was written in the stars or perhaps your past life decided to recall your charmic debt all at once? Like 18 different bad things happen at the same time? I like to think it’s because I’m Irish that I put so much stock into things like fate and luck, but the fact of the matter is--crap happens--period. There’s very little much you can do about it.
My last trip to Las Vegas was to see what all the hubbub was about. I had heard and seen all the new contraptions there were being built during the boom of later Clinton years. I was very impressed. This was not the world I had seen when I had first turned 21 and disposable cash was becoming a possible option for me. Instead of the ruff and tumble, gangster world from the previous visit, I saw Disney-lite, with a tangible, underlining of sin thrown in, in case the family wasn’t looking.
It’s from these two standpoints that the movie The Cooler was created. The old Las Vegas, the one I saw at 21 is slowly dying off in this film. That world still has some of it’s creators, hanging around on the fringes as opposed to being the center of Las Vegas world, as they once were. They still believe in things as luck and chance and still have to take matters into their own hands. It’s the discussion of the moment for many in America--I’ve seen articles in Time and Newsweek related to the place over this sort of thing. The place is growing and it’s face is changing seemingly daily. And with September 11th changing the face of travel--no one goes anywhere via plane anymore--Las Vegas is changing again.
This movie was a nice change of pace, that’s for sure. I believe in luck, as I said before, so on that level, I could relate. The concept of a ‘cooler’ is someone who is such a sad-sack, they suck the life out of any poker, craps or slot machine. Whomever is winning, stops. And what a perfect person to play that character then William H. Macy. I mean, I don’t want to say he’s depressing to look at, but he isn’t exactly someone who cracks a joke and you believe. His own face has so many lines, you would think he worked on the Kerry campaign. Couple it with Macy’s ability to be the perfect character actor (non lead) and his ability to be a decent judge of indie scripts and-well--you have this movie.
It’s a good movie. Not a great movie, it doesn’t have that scope. There’s no spectacle; no outlandish situations. A wonderfully small piece, it works and several levels. You have Alec Baldwin, nominated for a Supporting Actor Oscar in this role, playing a tangible casino owner. Frankly, Mr. Baldwin is the most talented of the Baldwins, and his ability outweights many actors in Hollywood. Why isn’t he working more, people? His story, however presented in short manner, is really what the theme of the movie is--the Old Guard against the New Las Vegas--and he has enough ability to carry it and convey it.
It’s all very well written. Calm in parts and yes, violent in others. This isn’t Scorese’s Casino, in that the art of the film overshadows the tale. It’s well written enough that when characters’ fates begin to play out, you feel for them and want them to come out on top.
I do believe in luck, and I was lucky to find this tasty little film. I do recommend it. You’ll feel better after you’ve had one of those days, knowing you aren’t alone.