The Cooler (DVD, 2004)

I like this movie because of the unique characters and actors who play them.

William H. Macy stars as Bernie Lootz, an unlucky guy who has the ability to 'cool' the winning streak of any player just by simply being present. Mario Bello is Bernie's love interest, Natalie Belisario, who happens to change his mood which in turn causes people to win when he's around them. Alec Baldwin plays Shelly Kaplow, the vicious casino boss of the Shangri-La, responsible for Bernie's destroyed kneecap which was done to cure Lootz of a gambling habit years earlier.

Additional characters are Bernie's son, Mikey (Shawn Hatosy), Larry Sokolov (Ron Livingston) who plans on changing the Shangri-La, stage singer Buddy Stafford (Paul Sorvino), Mikey's "pregnant" girlfriend Charlene (Estella Warren), Shelly's advisor Nicky Bonnatto (Arthur J. Nascarella), and younger stage singer Johnny Cappella (N*SYNC's Joey Fatone).

This movie is funny, intense, and somewhat emotional.

Bernie Lootz is constantly proving he's the unluckiest guy in the world.

His wife left with their child, his kneecap was destroyed by a casino boss, he then worked for the same man that injured him by "cooling" any winning tables, he finally loves someone but it causes people to win money in the casino, his son appears with a pregnant girlfriend but is later revealed to have stuffed a pillow under her clothes, he agrees to pay Shelly the $150,000 his son was cheating at a game to win (with $3,000 Bernie had given him), Lootz almost lost a game he was playing to earn enough to pay off Shelly, and nearly got shot by a hired gun (MC Gainey).

At the right moment, Bernie Lootz was very lucky because a drunk driver had hit the man who was about to shoot him and Natalie.

I recommend this movie to anyone who's a fan of William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, and casino-related movies. Before seeing this movie, I never knew of the term "coolers" that are used in Vegas.

Although the part was perfect for William Macy, who's a natural for the low-key depressive type, there were just too many quirky twists and turns to really follow, or at least make it entertaining in a believable sort of way.

Alec Baldwin can normally play well the tough guy parts, he so loves to play, however, even for him, it just didn't seem to go over well, with all the extreme, superstition thinking.

I love the movie because the most unlucky in everything it seems turns out to be the lucky one.And the one who used him most of all got just what he deserved in the end. Shelly would stop at nothing (it seemed) to keep Bernie under his thumb.
Loved it, Loved it, Loved it! The dvd was in perfect shape.
My favorite movie and in perfect shape. I'm extremely pleased!

Sometimes when your at the casino you feel like your a cooler because nothing is hitting for you.The movie had some pretty good actors in it also.

Purchased the DVD mainly due to the strength of two actors, Baldwin & Macey. I found sympathy for the star and compassion about the star and new girlfriend. Something good comes of the nitty gritty world of the gambling world.