Once upon a time, Bernie was a troubled gambler with markers all over town, including a big tab at the Shangri-La casino run by his friend Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin). When Bernie couldn't pay the debts, Shelly saved Bernie's life by covering them, but then disabled Bernie by kneecapping him, causing Bernie to walk with a limp. Also, Shelly made Bernie work the floor of the Shangri-La, allowing Bernie the chance to pay off his debt day by day over the course of many years.
Shelly recognized that Bernie's luck was so bad it was contagious, so Shelly made Bernie the casino's "cooler." All it takes is Bernie's mere presence at a hot table to kill the winning streak. If he should so much as touch the dice, you're looking at the Las Vegas version of a nuclear winter.
As "THE COOLER" opens, Bernie is just days away from fulfilling his debt to Shelly when he meets Natalie (Maria Bello), a new cocktail waitress at the Shangri-La. Natalie sweeps Bernie off his feet, and after a night of much-needed raucous sex, Bernie is in love.
When Natalie starts to love him back, Bernie's luck starts to change. Feeling good for the first time in years, Bernie can't wait to leave Las Vegas, with the woman of his dreams and move on with his life.
WILLIAM H. MACY (Bernie Lootz)
Oscar
