Movie Review: The Cooler

[andyfox]

It got a rave review in the L.A. Times yesterday.

It is a piece of crap.

I've already seen this movie done better; can't remember the name but it was with the guy who sang Cellophane Man in Chicago and Gwyneth Paltrow and an older guy who played Joan Allen's father in the movie where Jeff Bridges was the president in another movie the name of which I can't remember (The Contender?).

Bill Macy plays Bill Macy playing a "cooler," a guy who brings bad luck to other players, employed by casino boss Alec Baldwin. Every character is incredibly unattractive and the movie has an ugliness to it combined with a Scorsesesque Vegas slickness that don't combine well. Worse still, you have to see Macy naked in what are supposed to be scorching hot sex scenes. Feh.

I've always thought Baldwin was an underrated actor, and he does well here, although Macy's buddy Joe Mantegna would have been a better choice. The woman lead gave a much more riveting performance than either Macy or Baldwin.

All in all, you'll feel like you need a bath when you come out of the theater. See Love, Actually instead.

[nicky g]

Is the other film Hard Eight? That's the only gambling film I can think of with Gwyneth Paltrow; I can't be arsed to follow your leads but it definitely has an older guy as a main character. I didn't like it; the only PT Andersen film I've liked is Punch Drunk Love. My parents-in-law hated Love Actually, though I don't really trust their taste. I don't think I'll see it though. I met Bill Nighy once when he performed in an event we did, and he was very nice and considerate, in contrast with all but one of the other actors there.

[nicky g]

Come to think of it, I believe the other actor who went out of his way to be friendly, Andrew Lincoln, is also in Love Actually. Maybe I will go to see it.

[Six_of_One]

I would recommend highly that you go see Love Actually...you won't be disappointed. Of course, this is coming from someone who thinks PT Anderson is the best thing since sliced bread, so you may want to take that with a grain of salt.

[andyfox]

Hard Eight, that's it.

Nighy was fabulous in Love, Actually. My mother-in-law also told me she hated Four Weddings and a Funeral, which is very similar to Love, Actually (same filmmaker). Maybe it's not for older folks (although I'm not sure how old your in-laws are and I'm 50 myself). There are a bunch of stories to follow in Love, Actually, some less riveting than others.