The Cooler (2003)
Romance, Drama • 1h 41m
Overview
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.
Director: Wayne Kramer
Cast: William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy, Ron Livingston, Paul Sorvino, Estella Warren, Arthur J. Nascarella, Joey Fatone, M.C. Gainey, Ellen Greene, Don Scribner, Tony Longo, Richard Israel, Timothy Landfield, T.J. Gioia, Jewel Shepard, Gordon Michaels, Doc Watson, Dan Lemieux, Larry Elliott, Joe Conti, Chris Platt, Norbert Ganska, Mitch Samboceti, Andrew Simbeck, Danny Grossen, Jeff Hill, Monet Beaman, Charlie Carr, Kanie Kastroll, Bryon Baker, John Kozeluh, Cherilyn Hayres, Jim McCarthy, Frank Hannah, Heather McHenry, Monika Bella
Director: Wayne Kramer
Director: Wayne Kramer
Director: Wayne Kramer
Director: Wayne Kramer
Director: Wayne Kramer
Director: Wayne Kramer
Director: Wes Craven
France M6 Video 4K Blu-ray
France M6 Video - Geoff D review.
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray disappointing - Avoid. Terrible release. Another Kino-grade encode with a huge DV layer. The Lionsgate Limited Steelbook has a different disc with exclusive bonus discs and apparently another poor encode but they also messed up the DV metadata and made that disc unwatchable with DV enabled.
US releases for the original audio
Pay per view version audio is on the UK Entertainment in Video Blu-ray and the France M6 Video 4K Blu-ray
Lionsgate Limited 4K Blu-ray has exclusive extras
Director: Wes Craven
France M6 Video 4K Blu-ray
France M6 Video - Geoff D review.
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray disappointing - Avoid. Terrible release. Another Kino-grade encode with a huge DV layer. The Lionsgate Limited Steelbook has a different disc with exclusive bonus discs and apparently another poor encode but they also messed up the DV metadata and made that disc unwatchable with DV enabled.
US releases for the original audio
Pay per view version audio is on the UK Entertainment in Video Blu-ray and the France M6 Video 4K Blu-ray
Lionsgate Limited 4K Blu-ray has exclusive extras
Director: Moritz Mohr
Italy Plaion has Dolby Vision, but the metadata is static: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=22742198&postcount=92
Director: Moritz Mohr
Italy Plaion has Dolby Vision, but the metadata is static: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=22742198&postcount=92
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: Paul Feig
France 4K Blu-ray > Italy Eagle Pictures > US Lionsgate - caps
credits are in French though
Director: Paul Feig
France 4K Blu-ray > Italy Eagle Pictures > US Lionsgate - caps
credits are in French though
Directors: Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou
Lionsgate retains more detail, but Second Sight might be better in motion. Both are very close. Caps
Directors: Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou
Lionsgate retains more detail, but Second Sight might be better in motion. Both are very close. Caps
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
caps #1 (with FEL), caps #2
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
The compression is underwhelming on all discs, but despite trading blows in various frames, Lionsgate's re-released 4K disc wins.
The Lionsgate 4K re-release includes original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix, transferred from a LaserDisc, with missing cues at side changeover points corrected, and consistent volume throughout, as well as two remixed variants in 5.1 and 7.1 Atmos. The 5.1 is incorrectly labeled as original on the menu.
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
caps #1 (with FEL), caps #2
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
The compression is underwhelming on all discs, but despite trading blows in various frames, Lionsgate's re-released 4K disc wins.
The Lionsgate 4K re-release includes original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix, transferred from a LaserDisc, with missing cues at side changeover points corrected, and consistent volume throughout, as well as two remixed variants in 5.1 and 7.1 Atmos. The 5.1 is incorrectly labeled as original on the menu.
2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray or 35mm scan for Theatrical Cut
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre 2017 transfer, but has DNR.
StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray is heavily denoised and smoothened, best Blu-ray is the 2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray (missing the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, which is on the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is DNRed), 35mm scan for the theatrical cut also available.
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre 2017 transfer, but has DNR.
Original Kodak CDS mix likely on the Artisan DVD and other Japan DVD.
Differences and review of the mix. There are earlier stereo mixes and many subsequent remixes on DVDs but it is unclear how many of them are really unique.
2017 Blu-Ray (which has the DNRed transfer), the 2009 Skynet Edition Blu-Ray, and the 2000 Ultimate Edition DVD have exclusive extras. The 2003 Extreme Edition DVD has some exclusive easter eggs.
2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray or 35mm scan for Theatrical Cut
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre 2017 transfer, but has DNR.
StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray is heavily denoised and smoothened, best Blu-ray is the 2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray (missing the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, which is on the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is DNRed), 35mm scan for the theatrical cut also available.
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre 2017 transfer, but has DNR.
Original Kodak CDS mix likely on the Artisan DVD and other Japan DVD.
Differences and review of the mix. There are earlier stereo mixes and many subsequent remixes on DVDs but it is unclear how many of them are really unique.
2017 Blu-Ray (which has the DNRed transfer), the 2009 Skynet Edition Blu-Ray, and the 2000 Ultimate Edition DVD have exclusive extras. The 2003 Extreme Edition DVD has some exclusive easter eggs.
International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray
Whole Bloody Affair 4K Blu-ray upcoming in July, but only has 1 bonus feature and cuts out the rest of the extras
International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray, Upscaled from the 2K DI. Caps are here. While not as dramatic an upgrade as Jackie Brown, color reproduction and especially the reveal of additional highlight information that were completely blown-out on the old master make this a great upgrade regardless. See Uma Thurman’s face in the above cap. Japan Cut: Japan DVD
International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray
Whole Bloody Affair 4K Blu-ray upcoming in July, but only has 1 bonus feature and cuts out the rest of the extras
International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray, Upscaled from the 2K DI. Caps are here. While not as dramatic an upgrade as Jackie Brown, color reproduction and especially the reveal of additional highlight information that were completely blown-out on the old master make this a great upgrade regardless. See Uma Thurman’s face in the above cap. Japan Cut: Japan DVD
International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray
Whole Bloody Affair 4K Blu-ray upcoming in July, but only has 1 bonus feature and cuts out the rest of the extras
International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray
International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray
Whole Bloody Affair 4K Blu-ray upcoming in July, but only has 1 bonus feature and cuts out the rest of the extras
International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray
Director: Sam Raimi
Sony 4K Blu-ray steelbook upcoming
LaserDisc has the original Mono
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray audio is in the wrong pitch
Director: Sam Raimi
Sony 4K Blu-ray steelbook upcoming
LaserDisc has the original Mono
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray audio is in the wrong pitch
More Romance on Blu-ray
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: George Sidney
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
Director: George Sidney
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Vincent Ward
Director: Vincent Ward
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Kino Lorber 4k resto
The audio on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes from a better source than the various DVDs and the previous HD version on streaming. This audio is relatively untampered with, and is likely the best available source as no laserdisc was ever issued.
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Kino Lorber 4k resto
The audio on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes from a better source than the various DVDs and the previous HD version on streaming. This audio is relatively untampered with, and is likely the best available source as no laserdisc was ever issued.
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
Director: John Ford
Director: John Ford
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Bryan Gordon
Director: Bryan Gordon
Edit History
3/22/2026
Best English-Friendly Release
From
101 Films Blu-Ray (but it's PAL instead of NTSC) or the Lionsgate DVD for NTSC
Best Video Release
From
101 Films Blu-Ray (but it's PAL instead of NTSC) or the Lionsgate DVD for NTSC
1/8/2026
Format
Added
1080p Blu-ray
Added
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly Release
Added
101 Films Blu-Ray (but it's PAL instead of NTSC) or the Lionsgate DVD for NTSC
Added
101 Films Blu-Ray (but it's PAL instead of NTSC) or the Lionsgate DVD for NTSC
Best Video Release
Added
101 Films Blu-Ray (but it's PAL instead of NTSC) or the Lionsgate DVD for NTSC
Added
101 Films Blu-Ray (but it's PAL instead of NTSC) or the Lionsgate DVD for NTSC
Blu-ray.com
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Cooler/100819/#Releases
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Cooler/100819/#Releases
DVDBeaver
Added
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_80/the_cooler_blu-ray.htm
Added
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_80/the_cooler_blu-ray.htm
