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

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.

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

Maybe my favorite role that I have seen Alec Baldwin in. I also thought it was sell acted by Bello and Macy. The story was interesting. There were some that complained about the realness of the plot. Doesn't bother me...it is a movie. I will say that Macy seems to always play the same guy with the same expressions. Not my favorite actor for sure, but was ok in this one. It seemed beautifully made to me.

I hope there's a director's cut of this film floating around because it has (SPOILER): The worst and I mean the absolute worst ending to a film I've ever seen. They get to die together that's the true ending not a drunk driver! I mean I know about America and happy endings and all but come on!

Great movie with some twists and turns along the way. Ending hits home…

A very good feature film

This is where you'll find William H. Macy at his true gravitas, expressing his non-comedic, non-relatively parental peak, as he alongside his convincingly gripped chemistry with Maria Bello's equal power and Alec Baldwin's terrifically layered performance genuinely elevates a simplistic, superstitious film bridging stylistic class amid modernization with questionable tactics. (B)

Not a great movie and certainly not a terrible movie. Strong performance by Alec Baldwin that he was nominated for an Oscar in 2003. It does give a nice nod to Old Vegas. The overall story is just ok.

As much as any other film, The Cooler is able to capture the seedy wonder that is Las Vegas. Bernie (William H Macy) is a cooler, a man down on his luck hired by the casino to change the fortunes of players on a roll. When he falls for fellow employee Natalie (Maria Bello), his cooler abilities begin to falter, much to the dismay of ruthless casino owner Shelly (Alec Baldwin). Aided by stellar performances from the three leads and a strong script, the film effectively captures the sense of desolation and despair experienced by those who seek nothing more than meaning in their lives and some form of redemption. The direction can be gimmicky at times, but, overall, The Cooler is a well-orchestrated look at the world that exists behind the neon.

This gambling drama was great. William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Alec Baldwin, and the rest of the cast did an excellent job in this movie. The plot of the movie was dramatic, intense, and thrilling. It's about fighting for the person you love and trying to turn your life around for the better. That's what makes this movie great. If you haven't seen this movie yet, check it out sometime. It's worth watching.

A handful of high caliber performers work hard with thin material. The main glaring weakness is within the script. The comedic moments are wonderful but the romance is pretty doughy while the antagonist is characterized quite lazily.

I admit it. I'm a sucker. I liked this movie even though I shouldn't. The pretense is ridiculous, I never liked Vegas or anything about it, and I'm not interested in gambling. But the three lead actors--Alec Baldwin, Bill Macy, and Maria Bello--are absolutely perfect. Baldwin is electric. Macy is his usual hangdog self--a loser we can root for. And Bello doesn't overdo it; she keeps it pretty real. I'm always skeptical of movie romances, but the one in this story really grabbed me. Plus, Bobby Caldwell singing "Luck be a Lady"......Come on! How could I not be sucked in? The sex scenes are unnecessary, as are the two subplots, but I don't care. I liked it anyway. It's an A movie masquerading as a B movie. Very clever, actually. The denouement may be ridiculous, but it couldn't be more appropriate. It made me smile.

Good structure and acting

Forgettable story with some memorable performances.

Great cast and acting accomplishments. Movie has moments

Awesome movie full of amazing acting. One of my favorites and a most see.

When this film first started, it seemed like it was going to be a snooze fest but the story picked up quickly and ended up being a fantastic film.

The acting by William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, and Maria Bello was excellent, and the ending was satisfying. However, the premise of the movie, that a person can have good or bad luck as a trait, is ridiculous. I hope others also enjoy the movie for the acting, and don't start believing in palm reading, astrology, and a person's luckiness, which all seemed quite real in the film.

Interesting fable about Lady luck. Baldwin is great in it. I love how it features a romance between a middle aged couple. You don't see that often. I also dug the subplot of the gentrification of Vegas.