2004 02 FEBRUARY 2004 - RAG Magazine

CHUMP CHANGEIn keeping with our apparent DVD theme this week,Chump Change is yet another sarcastic script thatfinds tremendous joy in the nudge nudge, winkwink aspect of poking fun at the ridiculous, behindthe-scenesantics that occurs in showbiz. A bonafide hit on the film festival circuit, Chump Change’switty repartee comes courtesy of Jerry Stiller, TimMatheson, Fred Willard, and (who knew?) TraciLords. Written, directed and starring StephenBurrows (Spy Hard), Chump Change is one ofthose comical Hollywood tales that not only findsyour funny bone; it also seems to make perfectsense. So it’s OK, you can keep the change.OPEN RANGEYou’ve got to give Kevin Costner his props; this guy doesn’t give up. And apparently, studios haven’t given up on him either.Enter Touchstone Pictures, who fearlessly green-lighted Costner’s take on the Western genre with Open Range, asprawling, set-back-in-the-day Western that truly encapsulates how the west was run, and won. Even If you’re not an avidepic movie lover or a Costner fan, the breathtaking cinematography is probably reason enough to saddle yourself into a seatfor the daunting 145 minutes it takes for this Western to ride off into the sunset. But only the movie’s length shoots itself in thefoot, for Open Range intensifies its cowboy potential by roping in a stellar performance by Robert Duvall and a grippingportrayal of bravery delivered by Annette Bening. It’s true that the Western has always been defined by gun fights andCostner uses the best and last 25 minutes of his directorial prowlness to showcase one of the best shoot em’ up battles everpreserved on screen. This two-disc DVD contains the customary audio commentary and deleted scenes we have come toexpect in bonus footage. However, Touchstone Pictures chose to include a unique perspective entitled, “America’sOpen Range.” Narrated by Costner, this mini-documentary highlights the organic open range datingback to the 1800s. Costner also elected to share his director’s journal, which showcaseshis artistic journey by documenting how he ultimately came to star in,produce, and direct this ambitious motion picture.THE COOLERWilliam H. Macy, Maria Bello & Alec BaldwinDirected by: Wayne KramerLions Gate Films, R, 101 minJET LAGJuliette Binoche and Jean Reno start this trip as unwillingpassengers in a romantic tale of opposites attract.Together, the two (she a spoiled model, he a stressed-outchef) inadvertently form a relationship that transpires outof sheer movie script convenience –their flight is not onlygrounded but they are forced to share one hotel room.From there, everything else seems to happen for apredetermined reason written in the script. Though theplot is largely formulaic, the acting is much more thaneffective and it’s a welcome change of pace to see Renotackling comedy, specifically when he’s simply known toAmerican audiences as “the bad guy” in hardcore actionmovies.William H. Macy returns to his lovable loser ways with the characterization of Bernie Lootz, aka “TheCooler.” Lootz has been dubbed “The Cooler” due to his idiosyncratic ability to channel his own cursedlife and rampant run of bad luck onto unsuspecting gamblers on a hot streak. Bernie validates his talentwhen his mere presence to winners immediately shuts them down cold. We come to find Loonz at thetale end of working off a six-year-old debt owed to his slimy-as-they-come boss, Shelly (Baldwin).Shelly is the old-schooled Vegas manager of the Shangri-La Casino, who finds himself in the midst ofa firefight between cocky investors ordering him to renovate while he’s trying his damndest to hold onto the notion of old-style Vegas and not give into the child-friendly mecca it has become. Bernie’s socalled“gift” has resulted into a long-standing win-win situation for Shelly; however, Shelly must dealwith Bernie’s desire to move on with his life after his obligation is met, and if Shelly doesn’t find a wayto stop him from leaving, then he’ll be the one out of luck. The Cooler heats up when Maria Bello entersthe game as a down-on-her-luck-and-life waitress (are there any others?), Natalie, who becomessmitten with Bernie’s awe-shucks honesty. Natalie is a once vibrant, now-aging woman with acrummy past who came to Vegas in search of showgirl stardom; yet she refuses to fold her cards andwalk away a loser, instead choosing to play the hand that was dealt to her. As Natalie, Maria Bello isso flawless, raw, and riveting, that even the foreign press association acknowledged her craft witha golden globe nomination. The Cooler is far from being a comedy, but it’s not a heavy-hitting drama, either. It is an experience that seems to be summedupand defined by simply surviving life in Las Vegas and whatever interesting kiwinky-dinks that may entail. The acting is first rate and the script isremarkably refreshing for a concept that ideally focuses on the intrinsic aspects of casino life. There are a few brief sex scenes explored betweenBernie and Natalie that got the rating’s boards and censors all hot n’ bothered, but the scenes aren’t overly graphic for the sake of being shocking.They’re actually shot with brutal honesty, artistic angles, and originality, and if viewers feel uncomfortable, it’s probably because what is actuallycaptured on screen is as real as it gets, and that can be a little too unnerving for most.