Discover
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Jim Sheldon
Still Photographer -
Heather Cummings
Assistant Makeup Artist -
Travis Zariwny
Set Dresser -
James Whitaker
Director of Photography -
Cathy Sandrich Gelfond
Casting -
Noon Orsatti
Stunt Coordinator -
Mark Isham
Original Music Composer -
Amanda Mackey
Casting
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CinemaSerf 2/21/2025 3:37:43PM
“Bernie” (William H. Macy) is the casino equivalent of “Eeyore”. He sits beside the gamblers and makes sure that his doom and gloom philosophy wears off on them and they lose cash. No, it doesn’t sound very scientific but his boss “Shelley” (Alec Baldwin) believes in it and as they cleared $32 millions there last year, well maybe he is right. This technique is one of a few, though, that are causing the gangster owners to begin to consider if maybe there needs to be changes and so now would not be a good time for “Bernie” to move on. Suddenly, he encounters “Natalie” (Maria Bello) to whom he immediately takes a shine and you can only imagine his shock when she reciprocates. Quickly, they begin to fall for each other but isn’t all of this just a little too convenient? Just to add to the confusion, son “Mikey” (Shawn Hatosy) shows up with his expectant girlfriend and clumsily has a go at fleecing the tables! With these storylines gradually knitting together we have to wonder if any of them have any chance of finding happiness or fulfilment. Macy is perfectly cast for this, with his innate hangdog expression and his conveying of a plausible sense of amazement when he manages to hook up with “Natalie”. The rest of it, though, is a bit predictable and the latter half increasingly peters out as nobody quite seems to know how they want this to end. When it does, there’s something straight out of Buster Keaton mixed with a dose of Martin Scorsese that I though a bit daft. It’s watchable enough, but Baldwin exudes all the menace of a meringue and I found it just a bit disappointing.
William H. Macy
Bernie LootzMaria Bello
Natalie BelisarioAlec Baldwin
Shelly KaplowEstella Warren
CharleneShawn Hatosy
MikeyRon Livingston
Larry SokolovEllen Greene
DorisArthur J. Nascarella
Nicky Fingers Bonnatto