The Cooler (2003)

Director:

Wayne Kramer

Writers (WGA):

Frank Hannah (written by) &
Wayne Kramer (written by)

Release Date:

27 February 2004 (Turkey)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

When your life depends on losing... the last thing you need is lady luck.

Plot:

In an old school Las Vegas casino, its top gambling jinx breaks his curse when he falls in love, much to his boss' consternation.

Plot Keywords:

Luck | Casino | Bad Luck | Waitress | Cooler

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 11 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

William H. Macy	...	Bernie Lootz
Alec Baldwin	...	Shelly Kaplow
Maria Bello	...	Natalie Belisario
Shawn Hatosy	...	Mikey
Ron Livingston	...	Larry Sokolov
Paul Sorvino	...	Buddy Stafford
Estella Warren	...	Charlene
Arthur J. Nascarella	...	Nicky Fingers Bonnatto
Joey Fatone	...	Johnny Cappella
M.C. Gainey	...	Highway Officer (as MC Gainey)
Ellen Greene	...	Doris
Don Scribner	...	Lou
Tony Longo	...	Tony
Richard Israel	...	Marty Goldfarb
Timothy Landfield	...	The Player
T.J. Gioia	...	Bulldog
Jewel Shepard	...	Hooker
Gordon Michaels	...	Mr. Pinkerton
Doc Watson	...	Morrie
Dan Lemieux	...	Suburbanite
Larry Elliott	...	Floor Manager
Joe Conti	...	Pit Boss
Chris Platt	...	Dealer
Norbert Ganska	...	Stickman #1
Mitch Samboceti	...	Player
Andrew Simbeck	...	Stickman #2
Danny Grossen	...	Stickman #3
Jeff Hill	...	Stickman #4
Monet Beaman	...	Stickman #5
Charlie Carr	...	Boxman
Kanie Kastroll	...	Croupier
Bryon Baker	...	Stickman #6
John Kozeluh	...	Man (as John T. Kozeluh)
Cherilyn Hayres	...	Woman
Jim McCarthy	...	Televangelist
Frank Hannah	...	Dealer #2
Monica White	...	Johnny Capella's Girl
Heather McHenry	...	Johnny Capella's Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Portia Dawson	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Stephen Halbert	...	Carnie (uncredited)
Michelle Lopez	...	Lady Craps Player 'Cooled' by Bernie (uncredited)
Herb Santos Jr.	...	ER Doctor (uncredited)

Directed by
Wayne Kramer

Writing credits (WGA)
Frank Hannah		(written by) &
Wayne Kramer		(written by)

Produced by
Andrew Busey	....	associate producer
Alessandro Camon	....	executive producer
Bryan Furst	....	co-producer
Sean Furst	....	producer
Robert Gryphon	....	executive producer
Joe Madden	....	executive producer
Chris Miller	....	post-production producer: VisionWorks
Brett Morrison	....	executive producer
Michael A. Pierce	....	producer (as Michael Pierce)
Edward R. Pressman	....	executive producer
Elliot Lewis Rosenblatt	....	co-producer
John Schmidt	....	executive producer (as John R. Schmidt)

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Jim Whitaker		(director of photography) (as James Whitaker)

Film Editing by
Arthur Coburn

Casting by
Sig De Miguel
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich		(as Cathy Sandrich Gelfond)
Wendy Weidman

Production Design by
Toby Corbett

Set Decoration by
Alice Baker

Costume Design by
Kristin M. Burke

Makeup Department
Heather Cummings	....	assistant makeup artist
Daniel Curet	....	key hair stylist
Andy Harmon	....	assistant makeup artist
Jason Rail	....	co-key hair stylist
Carol Strong	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Shauna Miller	....	unit production manager (as Shauna Miller Schain)
Tony Murphy	....	post-production manager: Visionbox Media Group
Diana Tauder	....	post-production supervisor: VisionWorks

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard L. Fox	....	first assistant director
Heather Grierson	....	second assistant director
Casey Mako	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Michael Clements	....	set dresser
E.C. Duffy	....	carpenter
Kahele Dunn	....	props assistant
Will Durham	....	assistant art director
Erin Fite	....	set dresser
Terry Hargis	....	leadperson
Wayne Kramer	....	storyboard artist
Jamie Maheu	....	property master
Bryan Matulay	....	assistant property master (as Bryan Daniel Matulay)
David Richards	....	carpenter
Steven J. Vana	....	on-set dresser (as Steve J. Vana)
Travis Zariwny	....	set dresser (as Travis Zariwany)
Lynn Pollard	....	lead painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Tom Burns	....	sound re-recordist
Steve Copley	....	foley recordist
Stephen Halbert	....	sound mixer
Scott Hecker	....	supervising sound editor
Jairo Hernandez	....	boom operator (as Jairo Hernandez Jr.)
Javier M. Hernández	....	boom operator (as Javier M. Hernandez)
Tateum Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Howard London	....	adr mixer
Anna Malkin	....	foley assistant
Eric A. Norris	....	sound effects supervisor (as Eric Norris)
Brad North	....	foley editor (as Bradley North)
John Sievert	....	foley artist
Jon Taylor	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Weisberg	....	adr mixer
Byron Wilson	....	supervising sound editor

Visual Effects by
Michael Adkisson	....	visual effects supervisor: Title House Digital (as Mike 'Mookie' Adkisson)
Jose Avitia	....	optical effects producer: Title House Digital (as Jose 'Spike' Avitia)
Blake Busby	....	title designer: Title House Digital
Derry Frost	....	head of production: Amalgamated Pixels
Julie Landholt	....	title designer: Title House Digital (as J. Kathryn Landholt)
David Fred Masselink	....	I/O coordinator: Title House Digital (as Fred Masselink)
Kevin McVey	....	I/O manager: Title House Digital
Andrew Midgley	....	visual effects producer: Title House Digital
Gary Miller	....	animation camera: Title House Digital
Michael Morreale	....	executive producer: Amalgamated Pixels
Merysa Nicholas	....	lead composite artist: Title House Digital (as Merysa Nichols)
Vincent Nuñez	....	digital artist: Title House Digital
Jeremy Oddo	....	senior animator: Amalgamated Pixels
Phillip Palousek	....	visual effects coordinator: Amalgamated Pixels
Dave Piedra	....	digital artist: Title House Digital
Adam Stern	....	digital artist: Title House Digital

Stunts
Robin Lynn Bonaccorsi	....	utility stunts (as Robin Bonaccorsi)
Casey Easlick	....	utility stunts
Dan Lemieux	....	utility stunts (as Dan Le Mieux)
Noon Orsatti	....	stunt coordinator
Robin Lynn Bonaccorsi	....	stunt double: Maria Bello (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Douglas Arnold	....	electrician (as Douglas A. Arnold)
David Blundell	....	electrician
Josh Caine	....	loader
Jeff Caples	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Andy Coe	....	grip
Andy Coe	....	key grip: second unit
Lauren Glen	....	camera production assistant
Dylan Goss	....	aerial photographer
Richard Hendricks	....	best boy grip
Colin Hudson	....	Steadicam operator
Colin Hudson	....	camera operator
Kevin Hutchins	....	utility grip
Reed Koppen	....	first assistant camera (as E. Reed Koppen)
Shawn Lacy	....	key grip
Adam Neace	....	utility grip
Gaylen Nebeker	....	video playback operator
Loren Nebeker	....	video playback operator
Robert Novellino	....	grip (as Bob Novellino)
Guy Pfiershy	....	additional electric
Patrick Reddish	....	gaffer: second unit
Chris Reiter	....	best boy electric
Jim Sheldon	....	still photographer
Jonathan Sizemore	....	electrician
Robert Stone	....	electrician (as Rob Stone)
Craig Sullivan	....	grip
Todd Taylor	....	dolly grip (as J. Todd Taylor)
Nicole Hirsch Whitaker	....	director of photography: second unit (as Nicole Hirsch-Whitaker)
Sarah Wheat Whittaker	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Quinn Yancey	....	second assistant camera
Robert SummerStone	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anita Louise Brown	....	set costumer
Molly Grundman	....	key costumer
Heidi Higginbotham	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
David Bilow	....	apprentice editor
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer (as Steve Sheridan)
Derek Vaughn	....	assistant editor
Jonathan Miller	....	post-production services (uncredited)

Music Department
Pepper Adams	....	musician: baritone saxophone solo
Thomas A. Carlson	....	music consultant (as Tom Carlson)
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Peter Erskine	....	musician: drum solo
Billy Gottlieb	....	music supervisor
Mark Isham	....	musician: trumpet solo
Jettared	....	performers: "As I Walk"
Stephen Krause	....	music recordist
Jason La Rocca	....	assistant music recordist (as Jason LaRocca)
John Leftwich	....	musician: bass solo
Flo Mo-Tee	....	musician: fender rhodes solo (as Flo Mo-T)
Sid Page	....	musician: violin solo (as Sid Paige)
Rich Ruttenberg	....	musician: piano solo
Bob Sheppard	....	musician: alto saxophone solo
Bob Sheppard	....	musician: soprano saxophone solo
Florian Tessloff	....	music preparation
Tracy McKnight	....	executive soundtrack producer (uncredited)
Florian Tessloff	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
Florian Tessloff	....	music assistant: additional arrangements (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Brent Baccambuso	....	driver
John Bowen	....	driver
Scott Doleto	....	driver
James R. Guillory	....	driver (as James Guillory)
David Lee	....	driver
Larry Lynch	....	transportation captain
Ronald Owens	....	driver
David Perelle	....	driver
Lloyd Stinson	....	driver (as Lloyd Stinsen)
Richard Webb	....	driver (as Rick Webb)

Other crew
Nick Agorastos	....	set medic
Kirk Baily	....	adr loop group
Kathleen Becker	....	catering
Suzanne Bingham	....	script supervisor: second unit
Greg Bosler	....	arranger: "Luck Be a Lady"
Linda O. Cook	....	adr loop group (as Linda Overlin Cook)
Ryan Cooke	....	production coordinator
Wendy Cutler	....	adr loop group (as Wendy E. Cutler)
Philip Eichner	....	hotel liaison
Jeff Fuller	....	key set production assistant (as Jeff 'Bones' Fuller)
Mike A. Gayten	....	craft service assistant
Jackie Gonneau	....	adr loop group
Hayley Green	....	assistant: Mr. Manulis, Visionbox Media Group
Lauren Grey	....	assistant: Mr. Pressman
Malcolm Groome	....	adr loop group
Matthew Hill	....	set medic
Alexander Kukulus	....	set medic
Ivy K. Lukas	....	assistant: Mr. Baldwin
John Bard Manulis	....	chief executive officer: Visionbox Media Group (as John Manulis)
Henry Marx	....	producer: "Luck Be a Lady"
Micah May	....	production assistant (as Micah M. May)
Jim McCarthy	....	post-production accountant (as James McCarthy)
Jim McCarthy	....	production accountant (as James McCarthy)
Mike Miner	....	production assistant (as Michael Miner)
Randall Montgomery	....	adr loop group
Tina Panella	....	adr loop group
Udo Pfeiffer	....	assistant to director
Shauna Phelan	....	assistant: Mr. Furst
Rebecca Poulos	....	script supervisor
Kristina Santoro	....	production assistant
Dean Scofield	....	adr loop group
Richard Sloane	....	production assistant
Robin Adair Sparks	....	set medic
Rick S. Sulier	....	assistant accountant (as Rick Sulier)
John A. Suzio	....	craft service
Jayce Templeton	....	animal wrangler
Jeff Turner	....	assistant production coordinator
Georgia Vestakis	....	assistant: Mr. Pierce
Douglas Walls	....	production assistant
Tim Wilson	....	location manager
Cathy Yermilov-Miller	....	post-production caterer
Lulu Zezza	....	managing producer: Visionbox Media Group
Greg Bernstein	....	legal services (uncredited)
Frank Hannah	....	advisor: gambling (uncredited)
Brendan MacDevette	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Tom Schaus	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Thanks
Harry Abrams	....	special thanks
Levy Antal	....	special thanks
Greg Bernstein	....	special thanks
Richard Branca	....	special thanks
Jim Carter	....	special thanks
Jim Cashman	....	special thanks
Larry Collins	....	special thanks
Leanne Coronel	....	special thanks
Warren Dewey	....	special thanks
Timothy Dougall	....	special thanks
Jerome Duboz	....	special thanks
Craig Furst	....	special thanks
Howard Furst	....	special thanks
Portia Furst	....	special thanks
Suzanne Furst	....	special thanks
Janine Giaime	....	special thanks
Kenny Goodman	....	special thanks
Larry Goodman	....	special thanks
Heather Griffith	....	special thanks (as Heather Parker)
Shailly Guleri	....	special thanks
Tim Guleri	....	special thanks
Kevin Hearst	....	special thanks
Bob Hoffman	....	special thanks
Jon Huddle	....	special thanks
Chris Jenkins	....	special thanks
Leah Antonio Ketchum	....	special thanks (as Leah Antonio Ketcham)
Lori Killam	....	special thanks (as Lori Killiam)
Ethan Kramer	....	special thanks
Jodi Kramer	....	special thanks
Mary Loughan	....	special thanks
Rob Loughan	....	special thanks
John Lynch	....	special thanks
Kelly Lynch	....	special thanks (as Kellie Lynch)
Kira Makagon	....	special thanks
Randy Paul	....	special thanks
Nick Pollack	....	special thanks: Sony Pictures wardrobe
Shaun Redick	....	special thanks
Michael Roban	....	special thanks
Richard Roll	....	special thanks (as Rich Roll)
Rena Ronson	....	special thanks
Jim Roudebush	....	special thanks (as Jim Roudabush)
Cindy Ryder	....	special thanks
Chris Schmidt	....	special thanks
Karen Sebok	....	special thanks
Ann Setty-Rosevear	....	special thanks
Marcello Sozio	....	special thanks
Peter Sternlicht	....	special thanks
Anthony Teneriello	....	special thanks
Bret Tyler	....	special thanks
Steve Van Anda	....	special thanks
Ally Visram	....	special thanks
Amin Visram	....	special thanks
Mark Williams	....	special thanks
Beverly Wood	....	special thanks
Tracy Zahoryin	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• ContentFilm (presents)
• Pierce/Williams Entertainment (as Pierce-Williams)
• Furst Films
• Gryphon Films (in association with)
• Dog Pond Productions (in association with)
• Visionbox Pictures (produced in association with)
• Zero Gravity Management

Distributors

• 1More Film (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alamode Film (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (2004) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Ekaterinburg Art (EA) (2004) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (North America) (as A Lions Gate Entertainment Company)
• Tartan Films (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Telexcel (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Bonton Home Entertainment (BHE) (2004) (Czech Republic) (DVD)
• ContentFilm International (2003) (worldwide) (all media) (sales agency)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (all media)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Monopole-Pathé (2004) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Palisades-Tartan Acquisitions (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• With Cinema (Korea)

Special Effects

• Amalgamated Pixels (visual effects)
• Title House Digital (titles and opticals)

Other Companies

• Artfab  set construction (as Artlab, Sacramento, California)
• Carl's Blue Printing  special thanks
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies (uncredited)
• Commotion Records  soundtrack (uncredited)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing (as Deluxe)
• Executive Cutting Service  negative cutting (as Executive Cutting)
• Golden Phoenix Hotel, Reno, Nevada  special thanks
• Hart Murmurs  loop group
• Image Sound and Control  special thanks
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity (as Jeremy Walker & Associates)
• Mackey/Sandrich Casting  casting (uncredited)
• Nev-Cal Communications  special thanks
• Nevada Casting  additional casting
• Nevada Casting  extras casting
• Nick and Nora  special thanks
• Panavision  special thanks (as Panavision, Woodland Hills, California)
• Pentagon Studios  special thanks
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by (uncredited)
• Redman Movies and Stories  grip and lighting equipment
• Sony Pictures Studios Burt Lancaster Theatre  sound re-recorded at
• Sony Pictures Studios Post Production Facilities  dailies telecine transfers
• Sony Pictures Studios  special thanks (as Sony Pictures, Wardrobe)
• Sundance Helicopters  helicopter rental
• VisionWorks  post-production picture services
• VisionWorks  post-production sound services
• Wet Dog Studios  music recorded at (as Wetdog Studios)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, violence, language and some drug use (edited for re-rating)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | Canada:A (Ontario) | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:R(A) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | South Korea:18 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Landmark Hotel - Convention Center Drive and Paradise Road, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

ContentFilm

Trivia:

Bernie's Room 104 is located at the Town House Motor Lodge, 303 West Second Street, in Reno, Nevada. The film crew put another motel sign ("Bettor Life") over the Town House sign for filming the movie. The EZ Mini Market where Bernie shops is also at the Town House Motel. The Room 104 interiors were shot at the studio. The pool is still empty, even in the summers. The Town House is a quarter mile from the Golden Phoenix, at Second Street and Arlington in Reno.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the motel, when Shelly confronts Natalie, the camera and its operator are reflected in the upper right-hand corner of the mirror.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Casino employee:Where's Bernie, they're killing us. Yeah, we need him right away.

Movie Connections:

Features Lost Horizon (1937)

Soundtrack:

Can I Steal a Little Love

outstanding performances in a flawed but good film

William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin and Maria Bello give unforgettable performances in 'The Cooler,' a moody tale of high stakes gambling on the Vegas Strip. Baldwin plays Shelley Kaplow, a casino operator steeped in nostalgia who hates what has become of his beloved city and prefers to do business the old-fashioned way (i.e. breaking a leg or two or even rubbing a person out if the situation calls for it). Shelley is also so intensely superstitious that he's hired a 'cooler' to rein in any gambler who starts winning a bit too much against the house. Macy is the 'cooler,' a man named Bernie who's been a loser all his life. It is Shelley's contention that all Bernie has to do is stand next to a gambler on a hot streak and that player's luck will immediately turn cold. And it works. Bernie is like a dark cloud roaming the floor of the casino, bringing despair and depression wherever he goes. The problem for Bernie is that, although he makes a living doing this, he has virtually no self-esteem left. He truly believes that he is a bad luck charm, an impression he carries over into his personal life as well. Enter Natalie Belisario, a sweet, beautiful cocktail waitress at the casino, who is assigned by Shelley to accompany Bernie on his treks around the room. What none of them expect – least of all Bernie and Natalie - is that the two of them will wind up falling in love with each other and that this happy turnabout in Bernie's personal life will extend to the professional arena as well. Bernie's new role at work as a wandering leprechaun, dispensing good luck and fortune in his wake, is not, of course, a positive thing for business. Thus, Shelley feels compelled to step in and wrest control of the situation, any way he can.

The screenplay uses the gambling scene in Vegas as a metaphor for life. The film, written by Frank Hannah and Wayne Kramer and directed by Kramer, shows that achieving happiness is really all about taking chances, laying down our bets and going for the big score even when all the odds are against us. And nothing in the film underscores that theme more than the relationship between Bernie and Natalie. In fact, Bernie's final act is really one giant spin of the wheel that manages to pay off. After he's taken his chance and beaten the house (and not just at the craps table), he is Bad Luck incarnate no more. Yet, in many ways, the script is so heavily symbolic - so rife with contrived allegory and neatly lined-up parallelism – that it almost ends up derailing the film in the second half. On the positive side, Bernie and Natalie make a compelling romantic couple, as she attempts to build up his confidence and make him see his own self-worth. Macy and Bello do a beautiful job capturing the essence of these two lost souls who find strength in each other's weaknesses. In addition, Baldwin paints a chilling portrait of a man who is smooth and suave on the surface, yet so ruthless underneath that he will literally stop at nothing to get what he wants. The dialogue is sharp, abrasive and insightful and the insider view of casino operations is, as always, fascinating to watch. The film also captures the evolutionary struggle Vegas itself has been undergoing over the years. Shelley is like an animal facing imminent extinction, as the Vegas he yearns for – the one run by syndicate money for hardcore gamblers, truly the last outpost in a fading frontier where a fistfight or a gun battle could settle any argument – makes way for the new Vegas of glitzy mega-casinos and family-oriented Disney-esque attractions.

What undercuts the film in the second half is its falling for its own fantastical premise. The idea that one person can spread good or bad luck depending on his mood is fine for a ruse, but when the screenplay itself begins to endorse that view, the film loses both grit and credibility. The final sequences, in particular, have a feeling of desperation to them, as if the filmmakers couldn't come up with a viable ending, so they turned, quite literally, to Lady Luck to get them out of their predicament. The problem, essentially, is that 'The Cooler' starts off as a realistic drama, then wanders off into rueful fantasy. It makes the film more 'clever' in the long run, I suppose - though I, for one, would have preferred a more consistently life-like approach and a more believable resolution.

This is not to in any way denigrate the brilliant performances of the three leads or to minimize the many elements of quality that make up the film. Despite its flaws, 'The Cooler' is a compelling human drama that, if nothing else, will make you think twice before you grab all those winnings off the crap table.