The Cooler is a 2003 US film. Directed by Wayne Kramer, William H. Macy plays a very special unlucky guy who not only has no luck himself, but can also transfer his unhappiness to other people. This special talent makes him a valuable casino employee.
The Plot – What is The Cooler About? What Catches the Attention of Non GamStop Casino Members?
Bernie Lootz has had regular bad luck all his life. So much so that he brings nothing but misfortune even to those around him. What isn’t particularly helpful in real life can be extremely valuable in a non GamStop casino. That’s why Bernie Lootz works as a “cooler” at the Shangri-La Casino. But that was not entirely voluntary, because he has high gambling debts, which he is paying off bit by bit with the job. The manager of the casino is his supposed friend Shelly Kaplow, who ends up taking advantage of him.
Figuring out the Catch!
Everyday work is easy for Bernie. He moves around the Shangri-La in a friendly and noncommittal manner, observing which tables’ players are on a lucky streak. As soon as he realizes that a gambler is winning too much, he goes to him and pretends to watch the game. The consequence is that the player suddenly loses.
Sometimes, Shelly or another casino employee will call Bernie to a table to break a winning streak. This works amazingly well. Non GamStop casinos also do the same! When a player is very lucky they show him an error message to get him to stop playing!
At this point it should be noted that “The Cooler” plays with an old myth. Las Vegas actually used to have casinos where coolers worked. However, this is definitely not available in casinos not on GamStop. Scientifically speaking, of course, its utter nonsense to believe that there are people like Bernie who can spread their own bad luck to other people. But maybe that’s not important. Just as with astrology and homeopathy, it is more important that there are enough people who believe in it. Ultimately, however, the story told in this film is an imaginatively told casino fairy tale.
Debt, Gambling and Love: Escalating Drama!
Bernie has just a few more days before he can completely pay off his gambling debts. Bernie is looking forward to this moment. But Bernie is too valuable for the casino. So Shelly hires the waitress, Natalie Belisario, who Bernie has fallen in love with, to give the notoriously unlucky guy a reason to stay in Las Vegas. Bernie is surprised that Natalie is interested in him, but is only too happy to be approached. He tells her that Shelly once broke his kneecap because of his debts. But instead of complaining about it, he claims that he is grateful because this drastic action could have ended his gambling addiction.
Natalie Falls in Love With Bernie
Natalie finds out that Bernie is a nice and warm person. On the first night, Natalie falls in love with Bernie, although the physical approach is anything but promising. The scene is particularly beautiful when Bernie wakes up alone in bed after the first night and is convinced that Natalie has left. But the lady is only in the bathroom and when she comes out, she asks Bernie if he would like breakfast.
Young Love Has a Special Effect!
Suddenly Bernie is lucky herself and also brings luck to other people. This means that he is no longer well suited to work in the casino. On the contrary: Barney helps some players to have big winning streaks. This in turn becomes a huge problem for Shelly, who is already under pressure. The Shangri-La belongs to the Mafia. There are plans to modernize the casino, but Shelly is a traditionalist and doesn’t want to change anything. As long as Shelly provides the necessary income, that’s no problem. But when the cooler starts to overheat, Shelly gets in big trouble with his superiors.
Suddenly, Mikey, Bernie’s son, shows up with his pregnant girlfriend. Mikey asks his father for money, which he finally gives him. Mikey uses the money to play high-stakes craps at the Shangri-La. At first he wins huge amounts, but then it becomes apparent that he is playing wrong. The result is that Shelly’s thugs break various bones under the eyes of Bernie.
Bernie Wants to Start a New Life With Natalie
Shelly completely loses control and beats up Natalie. This leads Bernie to use his newfound luck to win $150,000 at the Shangri-La. With this sum he first pays Mikey’s debts. With the rest, Bernie wants to start a new life with Natalie. But Shelly sets an assassin on the two. However, there is no salvation for him. Due to bad management and huge losses, the mafia bosses decide to kill Shelly.
What Role Does Gambling Play in The Cooler? What Makes This Movie Special For Non GamStop Members?
The Cooler shows a nostalgic, almost old-fashioned casino world. Anyone interested in non GamStop casnios can get a pretty good idea of what the casinos probably looked like in the past. Gambling is pervasive as Bernie wanders from one gamble to another in his job. You can see the classic games like roulette, craps (dice) and blackjack. But Bernie also shows what he can do on slot machines.
This casino film can also serve as a charming parody of the many myths that are prevalent among gamblers. Many players actually believe that there is such a thing as winning streaks and losing streaks. This is not scientifically tenable, but it is difficult to take action against such beliefs. The Cooler takes this myth to the extreme, and it’s great to watch, especially given the stellar cast.
Non GamStop Casino Fans Must See This Movie Because…
… The Cooler presents a beautiful casino atmosphere and pursues an old myth. Old Las Vegas may really have looked like what it is portrayed in The Cooler. Above all, however, are the performances that make this casino film a great event. William H. Macy plays the transformation from perpetually unlucky to amazingly lucky with a naturalness that is impressive in every way.