Movie Substrate · Film

The Cooler (2003)

★ 6.7 · 396 ratings on TMDB

When your life depends on losing... the last thing you need is lady luck.

The Cooler poster★ 6.7

Bernie works at a Las Vegas casino, where he uses his innate ability to bring about misfortune in those around him to jinx gamblers into losing. His imposing boss, Shelly Kaplow, is happy with the arrangement. But Bernie finds unexpected happiness when he begins dating attractive waitress Natalie Belisario.

DirectorWayne Kramer
CastAlec Baldwin, Arthur J. Nascarella, Estella Warren, Joey Fatone, M.C. Gainey, Maria Bello
GenresDrama, Romance
The emergence reading

The Cooler keeps every mind human — it fights its subject at zero distance. The story fights on E8/E11 of the E0–E14 reality ladder.

zero-distanceUS
⇄ Parameter shift — the dial this world turnsrigor: loose
E0probabilitycoolers impose a constant negative probability bias on nearby stochastic events, which can reverse to a positive bias (physics · personal)
Also inFilms that alter a rule of reality
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Same rung, same subject

Films fighting at the same level of reality, about the same things.

Inception (2010)E8/E11John Wick (2014)E8/E11The Godfather (1972)E8/E11Iron Man 2 (2010)E8/E11Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)E8/E11The Truman Show (1998)E8/E11

Same subject, different rung

The same preoccupations examined at another scale — one mind versus a nation.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)E9/E10 · Drama, RomanceThe Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)E9/E10 · Drama, RomanceWicked (2024)E9/E10 · Drama, RomanceAnna and the King (1999)E9/E12 · Drama, RomanceQuo Vadis (1951)E9/E12 · Drama, RomanceQueen Margot (1994)E9/E10 · Drama, Romance

Also bends a rule of reality

Other films that change a standing rule of their world — ranked first by those bending it at the same rung.

Back to the Future (1985)alters at E0 · same rung · looseAvengers: Endgame (2019)alters at E0 · same rung · looseDoctor Strange (2016)alters at E0 · same rung · rigorousInterstellar (2014)alters at E0 · same rung · rigorousThe Matrix (1999)alters at E0 · same rung · rigorousTerminator Genisys (2015)alters at E0 · same rung · loose

Same people

Shared director or cast.

Running Scared (2006)dir. Wayne KramerCrossing Over (2009)dir. Wayne KramerPawn Shop Chronicles (2013)dir. Wayne KramerThe 5th Wave (2016)Maria BelloThank You for Smoking (2005)Maria BelloWild Hogs (2007)M.C. Gainey