X
- 2003
- R
- Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment
- 1 h 41 m
- 2003
- R
- Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment
- 1 h 41 m
Directed By: Wayne Kramer
Written By: Frank Hannah, Wayne Kramer
- 2003
- R
- Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment
- 1 h 41 m
- 2003
- R
- Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment
- 1 h 41 m
The Cooler
69
7.0
Where to Watch
Directed By: Wayne Kramer
Written By: Frank Hannah, Wayne Kramer
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 36 Critic Reviews
69
78% Positive
28 Reviews
28 Reviews
22% Mixed
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 36 Critic Reviews
69
78% Positive
28 Reviews
28 Reviews
22% Mixed
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Look for realism, and you'll find The Cooler disappointing. Look for a far-fetched yarn that's as unpredictable as a throw of the dice, though, and you'll find it engaging fun.
The best thing Baldwin has done in years, and a triumph of low-budget storytelling by a director to watch.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 21 User Ratings
7.0
62% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
33% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
5% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 21 User Ratings
7.0
62% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
33% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
5% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Director Wayne Kramer and co-writer Frank Hannah pull off a sleight-of-hand trick here, playing a gritty surface reality against dark Vegas mythology and getting away with it through a combination of shrewd, witty characterization and sure-footed storytelling skills.
Luckily this picture is rescued from cliché by the quality of the acting, and Mr. Kramer wisely gives the actors room to work.
Had The Cooler stuck to its dark guns and not turned into a treacly, love-conquers-all fairy tale, this movie might have gone somewhere. In the end, you're only watching this with a sort of mercenary interest in the actors.
First-timer Wayne Kramer brings pathos to Bernie and Shelly's fraught relationship, but his film never amounts to more than a cute idea stretched to poker-chip thinness.
Production Company
ContentFilm,
Pierce/Williams Entertainment,
Furst Films,
Gryphon Films,
Dog Pond Productions,
Visionbox Pictures,
Zero Gravity Management
Release Date Nov 26, 2003
Duration 1 h 41 m
Rating R
Tagline When your life depends on losing... the last thing you need is lady luck.
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 2 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Nomination
Satellite Awards
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
