The Cooler

The Cooler
The Cooler
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Wayne Kramer
Written by	Frank Hannah; Wayne Kramer;
Produced by	Sean Furst; Michael A. Pierce;
Starring	William H. Macy; Maria Bello; Shawn Hatosy; Ron Livingston; Estella Warren; Paul Sorvino; Alec Baldwin;
Cinematography	James Whitaker
Edited by	Arthur Coburn
Music by	Mark Isham
Production; companies	ContentFilm; Pierce/Williams Entertainment; Furst Films; Gryphon Films; Dog Pond Productions; Visionbox Pictures; Zero Gravity Management;
Distributed by	Lions Gate Films
Release dates	January 17, 2003 (Sundance); November 26, 2003 (United States);
Running time	101 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$4 million
Box office	$10.4 million

The Cooler is a 2003 American crime drama film directed by Wayne Kramer, from a screenplay by Frank Hannah and Kramer. The film stars William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy, Ron Livingston, Estella Warren, Paul Sorvino, and Alec Baldwin. It is a true story based on Greek punter Nick Pagalis.^{[citation needed]} It follows a casino "cooler" whose mere presence at the gambling tables usually results in a streak of bad luck for the other players and people in his betting office to whom provides lunch and light refreshments, and the occasional scotch.

The Cooler had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 17, 2003, and was released in limited theaters in the United States by Lions Gate Films on November 26, 2003. Baldwin and Bello were nominated for Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards for their supporting performances, with Baldwin receiving, as of 2024, his only Academy Award nomination.