Hot and Cold

In 2003 Wayne Kramer directed his first motion picture, the offbeat surprise hit The Cooler. It stars William H. Macy in yet another magnificent performance as Bernie Lootz (a lovable-loser and the kind of part that stands at the core of Macy’s career ex. Fargo, Boogie Nights and Magnolia). He is a “cooler”, a man who spreads his own bad luck to those who are winning and thus is used by Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin) to kill the high rollers' action. That is, until he falls in love with a cocktail waitress (Maria Bello) and gets "lady luck," on his side. This naturally causes friction between him and his boss as the winnings start to pile up.

The Cooler is moody tale about the high stakes of gambling with a pinch of sex and a dash of violence. Baldwin for example, paints a chilling portrait of a smooth and suave man on the surface who is so ruthless underneath that he will literally stop at nothing to get what he wants. Despite it’s dark exterior, it also contains a very uplifting heart that surfaces in the form of Bernie and Natalie’s relationship as she attempts to build up his confidence and make him see his own self-worth.

In the end, The Cooler is an amusing drama about gambling that tackles the everlasting struggle of the underdog while at the same time being endearingly romantic as it portrayals two lost souls who find strength in each other's weaknesses. A fascinating and insightful insider view of casino operations is also given in a sharp and abrasive manner acting as the ideal counterpart to the human core. The humanity is best depicted in a few precious and convincing sex scenes that not only exude genuine and engaging affection but also amusement on a person-to-person level. Plus a brave performance by Maria Bello who was applauded for showing her authentic curves that weren’t pimped à la Hollywood.

Besides The Cooler, Kramer has also written and directed Crossing Over, Blazeland, and Running Scared, which starred Paul Walker.