The Cooler

Abstract

The Cooler (2003, USA) by Wayne Kramer

Main Cast: Alec Baldwin; William H. Macy; Company: Content Film

The movie tells the story of Bernie Lootz, who is a ”cooler” in a casino. With his bad karma he calms the winning tables down. The casino boss, Shelly, wants to keep his valuable employee and hires the waitress Natalie to pretend to fall in love with Bernie. The “job” becomes real love and Bernie looses his bad karma: From now on every table he passes by wins.

Scene: gambling mixed adults table games tobacco Transgressive

00:06:01-0:06:31: gambling This scene also plays in the casino. Bernie is on his tour. At first we can see happy people winning. As soon as Bernie passes by they lose. At one table there are gamblers without happy faces, not really enjoying the game. The cigarette ends pile in the ashtray.

Here the gambling can be more likely seen as addiction. At least in the second part of the scene the gamblers are not enjoying the game, but nevertheless play.

Clip: 139