What can one say about William H. Macy? Ever since his initial popularity bloomed in 1996 with his turn as Jerry Lundegaard in “Fargo,” the actor continues to accept new and different roles, not following any type of progression towards being a major “star.” His respectability as an actor, however, does continue to progress, and he has earned the admiration of many of his fans as well as his peers. Lucky for us, huh?

As Bernie Lootz in Wayne Kramer’s “The Cooler,” Macy stars as the penultimate looser; everything even remotely in his vicinity turns sour, including his life. After loosing (and owing) big in Vegas, Bernie was “kneecapped” by his friend and owner of the Shangri-La Casino, Shelly Kaplow (brilliantly played by Alec Baldwin). Bernie walked away with a severe limp, and the Shangri-La gained a full-time “cooler:” someone to spoil any patron’s run of good luck. When Bernie meets new cocktail waitress Natalie (Maria Bello), he starts to fall in love, and as he does, his luck begins to change. When Shelly starts to notice that Bernie isn’t cooling off the hot tables as he used to, the ruthless casino Manager steps in to ensure that he doesn’t lose his valuable asset. Unfortunately for Bernie, the cruel hand of fate hampers Lady Luck’s jackpot of love.

The symbolism abounds in this plot-twisting story, and where else to set the story but in sin city. The characters are phenomenal, and the setting and scenery echo the dark underbelly of “old-time” Vegas. The Shangri-La Casino isn’t one of the new breed of hotels, instead it is a relic, still clinging to the old Rat Pack days of yesteryear. So does the story, which relays the atmosphere of the casino, the gangsters, and the resistance to change into the new family-friendly theme park that has become Las Vegas.

Attune to this era is Alec Baldwin’s character Shelly Kaplow. Part mafia, part salesman, Shelly’s persona exemplifies the idea of the symbolic Casino Boss. Ruthless, cunning and corrupt, Baldwin takes everyone on a ride with his slick brute. His tone, his demeanor, and everything about Shelly is enveloped by Baldwin, and is definitely one of the best roles he has ever played. If the title wasn’t referring to Macy’s character, the film could have easily been called “The Shangri-La” and the story focusing on Shelly.

As for Macy, he too takes over the role of Bernie Lootz, and captures the aura of this hapless looser trying to get that one last jackpot. Lootz’s limp, his facial expressions, and his whole demeanor spell out what he is all about, and Macy communicates it seemingly effortlessly to the audience. Macy even takes the ultimate step, for the first time, of being nude on camera during some interesting love scenes with Natalie. While not the picture of a perfect body, many kudos to Macy for not backing down from yet another challenge.

Brutal and honest, simple yet laden with symbolism, “The Cooler” is an excellent display of “less is more.” Relying on the ability of its remarkable cast, the story twists and turns through the emotions one would expect to emanate from the desert oasis known as Las Vegas. What it all boils down to is a story of luck, love, and consequences wrapped up in an amazingly simple shell, and yet again, lucky for us.