Movies-TV

Funny, Cool And It Has Attitude!

This was a good movie with attitude! John Travolta play Chili Palmer, loan-shark who takes a trip to Hollywood to collect a debt and takes an interest in the movie business. While doing so, he finds the movie business is quite similar to his work in the mob! What I liked about this movie was it was able to appeal to people who like many different genres. For example, if you liked comedy, this movie was full of it, if you like drama, this movie had a good amount of it, if you liked mob movies, this movie definitely would have had your attention. It even had a touch of romance, but not an overwhelming, annoying amount. John Travolta plays one cool cat, and does a good job of it, too. What did I like about this movie so much? Well, it discussed movies, which I liked seeing, I am a movie fan and it isn't extremely violent, which I thought it might have been. To put the cherry on top, it had my favorite actor John Travolta in it. I think this movie will appeal to many different movie fans.

bad bad bad

only watch this movie if you are a fan of watching Travolta play the same sarcastic bitch character he always plays. Story is lame, Russo is annoying, Travolta is a shell of the actor who brought vincent to life in pulp fiction. Rent anything other than this movie.p.s. Only reason to watch is to see Gandolfini give the absolute worst Cajun accent in the history of film.

Mafiosi love movies too!

Elmore Leonard's books must be loved by film screen adapters. His characters translate very well from the written page to the moving picture. "Get Shorty" is one of Mr. Leonard's best stories and it gets a very good treatment in the hands of Barry Sonnenfeld, its director, with the help of Scott Frank, who adapted it for the screen.The casting of the movie was it's greatest asset. John Travolta is so cool as Chilli, the mafioso who loves movies! In his scenes with Gene Hackman, he demonstrates what a good actor he is. On the surface, he appears to do nothing; he works with an economy that is very hard to imitate. Granted, after Mr. Travolta's amazing appearance in Pulp Fiction, this was a confirmation and validation of his talent.It was surprising, since I didn't remember his appearance on the movie, to watch actor James Gandolfini, prior to his recent fame. He plays a stuntman turned wise guy. Mr. Gandolfini must have gone through a great dental cosmetic transformation, unless he was made up to look very ugly, as Bear, in the film. I have greatly admired his work before his TV series, as a fine character actor, which he demonstrates here the potential he had and was not discovered until much later.Delroy Lindo is also excellent as one of the bad guys in the film. This actor, who is as great in films as in the theater, deserves much better. He is a man that always gives an honest performance. Not being a Danny DeVito fan, I must confess that he was very restrained here. He can do very good work with the right director behind him, as he shows playing the egotistical actor, Martin Weir.Also excellent, Dennis Farina. It's unfortunate he doesn't get better choices because he is always very effective in whatever he plays. In this film, he is hysterical as Ray "Bones" Barboni. Rene Russo, as the bit player with a heart of gold, is good. What can be said of Gene Hackman that hasn't already been said? His Harry Zimm is so accurate that we believe he is this sleazy Hollywood producer. Mr. Hackman is a consummate performer who keeps getting better all the time.If I had enjoyed the film the first time, looking at it a second time was a revelation.

Great Movie~

I have to say as soon as I saw this movie I had to buy it. It's a must for your collection if your a John Travolta fan.I love to watch John Travolta! He makes his roles really come to life and Rene Russo and him made a great couple on the screen. John Travolta always has this toughness to his roles but at the same time this sweetness and cuteness.Get Shorty was an awesome movie and I watch it over and over again all the time. It is very funny and serious at the same time. I do recommend that you add this movie to your collection. ~Kathy

I have watched this movie 23 times & counting. It's GREAT !

This movie is on my list of all time favorites. It's one of the most entertaining films I have ever seen. I like everything from the characters to dialogue to directing to that funky sound-track. My favorite scene is when Harry Zimm calls Ray Bones in Miami and tries to talk tough. The look on Gene Hackman's face after he hangs up makes me laugh every time.

One of the BEST!!

Get shorty is one of the most origional films this decade. It widly entertaning, well casted and Travolta is simply the best. The soudtrack is a killer to.

Some funny things happened on the way to Hollywood

At last it happened. A novel by Elmore Leonard made justice as a movie. It's been tried before but with more or less poor results. ("Stick" anyone?) The actors are absolutely perfect. Even the cameos are brilliant. The script is unusually faithful to the novel. As well as a far fetched story about petty gangsters, it manages to strike a minor blow at the superficial Hollywood lifestyle. Sonnenfeld has guided the actors and the story along in a very comforting stride. Great entertainment.

THIS MOVIE RULES!

To the viewer from Dorchester, NJ. You obvious don't know anything about movies. This movie rules.

Better than Be Cool but not as good as Pulp Fiction

It's had to say if Travolta was just caught up in the idea of being a gangster when he signed on for this movie but for whatever reason, this is one to add to the collection if you are a fan.

Both a comedy and a kinda-drama, Get Shorty is about a Mobster debt collector who finds himself in Hollywood to collect on a debt. His affinity for motion pictures gets him involved in a deal that requires some finess to pull off.

Good stuff all around...

I'm not deaf.

The GET SHORTY DVD I received was for hearing impaired viewing. The English words spoken were written out on the bottom of the screen and it was very distracting. And very disappointing! The seller's ad did NOT specify that the DVD they were selling had these captions added. Bad deal.

Witty, funny movie gets the "special" treatment

It takes a loan shark leading the way to make Hollywood honest. "Get Shorty" returns in a new 2 disc "Collector's Edition" DVD just in time for the sequel "Too Cool" which will be premiering in theaters in March. Translating Elmore Leonard's novels to the screen can be a tricky business luckily both screenwriter Scott Frank and director Barry Sonnenfeld are both up to the task with an inventive dark comedic film. Chili Palmer (John Travolta) heads west to collect a debt from down-and-out B-movie producer Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman). When Harry can't pay, Chili opts to help him make a movie about, well, Chili Palmer. The catch is that Chili and Harry need a star to make their movie viable. Chili quickly finds that the film business shares a lot in common with the world of organized crime. Chili romances B-Movie queen Karen Flores (Rene Russo) an ex- of Harry's and persuades film star Martin Weir (Danny DeVito) to star in the film but not before running into a Cadillac of very funny mishaps along the way. Featuring a great performances from Dennis Farina as the clueless Ray `Bones' Barboni, Travolta, Hackman, Russo, DeVito and a pre-Sopranos James Gandolfini, "Get Shorty" positively sparkles with wit and energy.

Sporting a new high definition transfer "Get Shorty" looks simply marvelous. With a sharp looking transfer showing a minimum of digital artifacts and no analog flaws, "Get Shorty" deserves the deluxe treatment. The image has amazing depth and an image sharper than Chili's aim. The colors practically leap out from the screen brighter than Harry Zimm's blindingly white teeth from the moment the pink and blue titles pop up on the screen until the moment we hear "cut" at the end. With blacks richer and darker than Chili's stolen coat, MGM has done a superb job of translating this modern classic to DVD. The crystal clear sound comes across with more presence than B-Movie queen Karen Flores' screams.


Extras are exceptionally good in this "Special Edition". It's like having seconds of a terrific desert; while no one really needs it, it's great to have just the same. We get a number of notable extras as part of this rich meal. The second disc has three featurettes on different aspects of the film, the deleted "Graveyard Scene", outtakes, the "Get Shorty" party reel, a documentary from Bravo Channel on the making of the movie and a sneak peak at "Be Cool". "Get Shorty: Look at Me" opens the book on how Elmore Leonard came up with the plot for "Get Shorty" and developed the idea. DeVito, Travolta, Hackman, Russo, Sonnenfeld and other key cast and crew participate in this featurette on the production of the film. Full of clips from the movie to illustrate the points made throughout the featurette, it's a great summation of the greatness of this film. It's a 30 minute love fest reminding fans why they love this movie so much. The 20 minute "Get Shorty: Wise Guys and Dolls" focuses on the fun, complex characters of the movie. "The Graveyard Scene" featurette allows Sonnenfeld to comment on the single deleted scene of the movie included the hilarious, well, graveyard scene. Featuring a funny cameo with Ben Stiller, Sonnenfeld clearly regretted cutting the scene but Sonnenfeld couldn't find a place for sequence where it fit. The behind-the-scenes stuff and interviews last longer than the actual scene itself. "Going Again" features footage from outtakes and a discussion from Sonnenfeld about the technique of using long takes, pulling out the best bits and putting it together to make magic. The sneak peak for "Be Cool" promises that the sequel to "Get Shorty" promises to be as funny as the first film. Set in the music business, it may not be more than a promo piece for the film but it gives viewers enough of a taste to rope `em in.

Bravo's "Page to Screen" documentary featuring Peter Gallagher features plenty of interviews with critics, other writers and focuses as much on how Elmore Leonard comes up with the material in his books, writes them and, once again, takes us behind-the-scenes of the production of the movie. The real treat is hearing from the real Chili Palmer discussing the "reel" Chili Palmer and Leonard's character. The "Party Reel" mainly consists of bits and piece of cut footage and behind-the-scenes stuff nothing earth shattering or all that funny. In addition to the "Get Shorty" theatrical trailer and we get two promos one for "Fargo" and one for "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". My only complaint is the MGM "promo" opener that they put on ALL of their DVDs. It's annoying and, unfortunately, there's no way to pass it by. It's a pretty minor issue but the fact that it's on all of their DVDs makes it a real pain.


A dry, witty commentary by Barry Sonnenfeld highlights this disc. The only drawback is the lack of participation of Travolta, Hackman, Russo and DeVito. I realize they have busy schedules but it would have been a real highlight and perfect addition to this DVD.

A hip, funny comedy that continues to deliver in spades, "Get Shorty" looks terrific, sounds great and has some terrific special features. This is an example of a re-release that's worth upgrading. Definitely worth owing on DVD and purchasing a second time if you love the movie. This IS the version to own.

No great depth or real big laughs to it but it is slickly entertaining and cool

When his boss has a heart attack, mob hard man Chili Palmer finds himself working indirectly for Ray Barboni. Barboni's instance on picking through his books and finds the case of a dry-cleaner who owes money but is dead. With pressure to cover the debt himself, Chili sets out to find the man who he knows isn't really dead – his search takes him to LA where he follows up another debt in the form of Harry Zimm. Zimm is a producer of trashy movies and Chili sees him as his way into the movie business and out of loan sharking – businesses that he realises are actually not that different.With the release (and drubbing) of the sequel, I decided to take the chance to watch the original film again and review it because I hadn't seen it since it first came out a decade ago. The story is potentially quite messy as it has quite a few threads with different characters coming and going quite quickly and it is to its credit that it manages to hold it all together and bring it off satisfyingly well. It doesn't have a great deal of depth of course but it only aims to be slick and it manages to do this pretty well considering. The script has plenty of injokes to match the slick dialogue and narrative and the story does move along in a manner that is enjoyable on several levels. I think claims that it is "hilarious" is maybe taking it a bit too far because it isn't really laugh out loud funny more than once or twice but it is entertaining in a stylish and slick way that makes it quite fun to watch.The cast really help and the majority of them give enjoyable performances even if the aforementioned depth isn't there for them to do a great deal with. Travolta enjoys a funnier version of the role that gave him his mid-nineties comeback with Pulp Fiction and he handles himself well – as slick as he is sleek and with a really cool presence that is important since the character is nothing more than cool presence. De Vito does really well sending up movie stars (specifically, if we are to believe all we read, Dustin Hoffman) but Russo seems to be an addition with nothing specific to do despite her still being enjoyable. Farina can do mobsters in his sleep so at least here he gets to enjoy himself at the same time; Lindo is a good match for Travolta and is a good bit of casting with good support from Gandolfini. In joke cameos are "take it or leave it" so they are not critical to the film but Keitel, Baldwin and Marshall stand out as being in there.Overall this is not a film that is hilarious or one that has great character development. Rather what it is is a slick story told with style and swagger – much like Chili himself. The plot threads are helped by not ever having a lot of detail behind them to be picked up but they are still potentially messy and the film does well to bring them all together in a pleasing and knowing fashion. The starry cast is good value and all in all the film is entertaining; which was all I really wanted from it in the first place.

A classic

This one is one of my favourites. Many good actors as John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito and Rene Russo. I´ve seen this movie about 15 times. If you havent seen this movie do it now. Delroy Lindo is great as Bo the bad-guy. There are 2 bad-guys in this movie but Ray Bones is more like the funny man. Travolta is very very good as Chili Palmer. He got the golden globe for this role. Harvey Keitel has a very little role in the end. This one is a classic. No question about that. It is 8 of 10.

Very light, very enjoyable

There are a thousand funny moments in this movie and everyone gives a great performance, especially Rene Russo, who is at her best. The best scene is when Travolta goes to the movies to see "A Touch of Evil" and knows the text by heart. A genuinely good movie, which anyone would enjoy watching, at least once.

Never Mind Shorty, Get the Money.

A thoroughly enjoyable comedy/thriller about a connected loan collector, John Travolta as Chili Palmer, who is sent by his boss, Dennis Farina, from Miami to Los Angeles to collect $300K from a drug dealer who has decided to keep the payment for himself by hiding it in a locker at Los Angeles International Airport. What Farina doesn't realize is that Travolta is a stone movie freak and is converted by the seductive movie-making atmosphere of L.A. from a semi-hit man into a would-be producer. The money that Travolta intends to invest may still be sitting in that gym bag in LAX, surrounded by ill-disguised DEA agents who are waiting for someone to try to get it, but everyone knows the money exists and they treat it as if it's not just real, which it is, but readily available, which it's not.It reminds me of the fiscal situation on Yap, an island in Micronesia. The Yapese have a kind of "money" too. Huge stones, laboriously carved out of a mountain on a distant island and carefully shaped, then shipped hundreds of miles to Yap. In one case, a monstrously heavy stone fell from the canoe offshore and fell to the bottom of the ocean. But it was still counted as being in circulation because, after all, all the Yapese had seen it and knew it was there.The story in this movie is more complicated and involves a dozen or more characters, all of whom would love to get their hands on that money. Some want to use it to make a lousy movie -- with Travolta cheer leading this contingent -- and others want it because they figure it belongs to them. Some die but no one mourns them. The deaths may be richly comic.What makes it possible for us to enjoy this story of bullying, threats, violence, greed, lust, and murder is its cheerful acceptance of the philosophical propositions of moral nihilism.When Travolta is confronted by a muscle man, James Gandolfini, he kicks him in the shin and sucker punches him without adumbrating the act. When Gandolfini hits the ground, groaning in pain, we can afford to laugh at it because the values behind the movie have given us permission to do it. Travolta squats next to the supine figure and begins chatting with him about the movies in which he's been a stunt man. Sixty movies. Oh, yeah? asks Chili, which ones? And Gandolfini modestly begins mentioning some, dismissing their quality over Travolta's objections. The two chat as if the assault had never taken place.Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so, said Hamlet. We're on the side of Travolta, of course, because he's the unpretentious hero captivated by movies, just like the rest of us, but a guy who can handle himself too. And he convinces us, just as he convinces the others, that an entertaining movie can be made from this lousy script he's come into possession of. He cares nothing about other people, just movies. But at least he cares for movies. That's "good" in a film like this. It's constructive and Travolta's motive is passion. The "bad" guys just simply want the money because it's coming to them, and in some cases they're right. The Latino gang has taken a risk by shipping the drugs into the USA. They have a legitimate claim to it because, as one of the four factors of production, the "entrepreneurs", they've earned it. They may be right but they're still "bad" in this context.The "friendships" and affairs mirror the moral nihilism of the other narrative strands. Nobody's in love. Nobody really cares deeply about anybody else. Allegiances shift like the wind. Betrayals are commonplace. And it's all so boldly stated that it comes out amusing.The dialog is pretty sharp and the characters well observed. The egocentricity of celebrities and the rich and powerful is used for laughs. Tiny Danny DeVito sits down at an al fresco café and orders the waitress to bring an omelet, but it has to be made with only egg whites, and the shallots have to be only slightly browned -- not too much -- and then he leaves before it arrives. When an acquaintance addresses him as "Marty," DeVito smiles in a friendly way, nods, and corrects him -- "Martin."Dennis Farina arrives at LAX, strides purposefully to the sidewalk, arriving at a right angle to the curb. A taxi sits a few feet away to his left. Without looking, silently, Farina snaps his fingers and the driver pulls up until the rear door is directly in front of his fare. The cab driver is a non-person to Farina. So is everyone else, to everyone else, except to the extent that they can be useful.It's a movie that's almost completely without heart. It is to empathy what the Marx Brothers were to social niceties and that's what makes it so funny.

WHAT A PIECE OF POOP!!!!

This movie is simply TERRIBLE!!! It's another one of those movies people rave about because it got a ton of hype being it was Travoltas next big project after the success of Pulp Fiction. Travolta in fact didn't even want to do this picture! From its poor story line to its really bad scenes I couldn't hate this movie more!!! The worst part of this movie is...well all of it!! But anyway the worst scene of the movie is when another mobster shows up to kill Travoltas character and is shouting and announcing himself before getting to the room Travolta is in. Travolta then shoots a shot that basically no man on earth could achieve!!!! Grazing the guys head leaving a bald stripe down the center of his hair!!! This movie was so far from reality in every sense!!! ONLY A GULLABLE CHILD WOULD BUY INTO IT!! But then again that's exactly who Hollywood has spent the last ten years specifically catering to and targeting. Naive children with no sense of reality!!! Even Sonnenfeld greatly regretted making this movie before it was even finished. This movie actually had a point which it in fact completely seemed to miss with its poor humor and overdone scenes. I guess there's enough sheep in this world to convince this movie was quality entertainment whith a solid story line when in fact it has niether! It's like Meryl Streep. If everyone is saying something particularly popular and powerful people, the group of mindless people who can't think for themselves, others will agree and run with what they are told to not be outcast and simply suck up and fit in. Finding others with no real sense of who they are or what they like so to fit in they go with the majority of mindless nonpersonality drones that are following someone else without a clue. I'll give it to Travolta because the only thing this movie had going for it was him and his performance which in fact is very good. I give this film the STINKER of the decade award for movies that were supposed to be a top box office release. PEE UUUU!!!

Travolta shows why he's a star

A Miami mobster (John Travolta) discovers that the Hollywood movie business isn't that far from what he's doing Florida in "Get Shorty," a 1995 film based on the novel by Elmore Leonard.Travolta is Chili Palmer, who is sent by a thug named Ray Bones (Dennis Farina) to Las Vegas to collect on a bad debt. While in Vegas, a casino boss sends Chili to Hollywood to collect on a bigger debt from a low-budget horror film producer, Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman). Chili actually has an idea for a film, based on a true story. He soon finds himself involved with drug dealers, the producer's scream queen star (Rene Russo), a short but big star with a tall ego (Danny Devito), who is the scream queen's ex, murder, money in an airport locker, the Feds - in short, it's business as usual. Chili decides that his skills are a great match for Hollywood and decides to become a producer.A very funny send-up of the movie-making business, with a terrific cast and several cameos by people such as Penny Marshall, Harvey Keitel, and Alex Rocco. Bette Midler has a small but showy role as well.What makes the film is John Travolta's performance as Chili. Easy-going, smart, and personable, with solid rock underneath, Travolta is fabulous and the anchor of the film. The dialogue is crisp, and the cast helps to create some strong characters, and there is great pacing by director Barry Sonnenfeld.Recommended.

Get Shorty is a clever take on the classic gangster film

Director Barry Sonnenfeld's Get Shorty, based on the book of the same name by Elmore Leonard, is a witty comedy that does all from poking fun at the modern Hollywood movie system to paying tribute to the classic gangster movie and its roots in film noir. Get Shorty follows the life of Chili Palmer, a gangster who lives in Miami Beach, Florida, who is sent on assignment to collect money from a dry cleaner's wife after he has died in a plane crash with money that belongs to Chili's bosses. After learning the dry cleaner is not actually dead, Chili follows his trail to Las Vegas where he learns that the dry cleaner is now in Los Angeles, and also agrees to help collect money from a movie producer that owes the casino money. These events move along at such a quick pace that they barely fill the first half hour of the movie. The remainder of the film is spent with Chili's interactions with Harry Zimm, the movie producer, and his attempts to work with Zimm on a movie and learn more about the movie business in general. Amusingly enough, the movie Chili proposes to Zimm is the same story he is trying to figure out, namely where the dry cleaner went with the money. This self-conscious attitude of the movie, in the same manner of Robert Altman's The Player, shows us an amusing satire of Hollywood. Through the course of the movie, parallels are drawn that depict the Hollywood work ethic as being similar to the type of mob work Chili is involved with. These amusing comparisons play themselves throughout the film, with classically stereotyped roles by an outstanding cast that range from the slimy director/producer to the Colombian druglord. In fact, it is the characters and the dialogue between these characters that make the movie outstanding. There is Chili Palmer (John Travolta), arguably one of the last true gangsters in the old tradition, whose speech and actions are undeniably cool and cutting. As a contrast to Chili, there is his boss, Ray Bones (Dennis Farina), who is a curt, abrasive character that is always looking for a way to one-up whoever he is dealing with. He is the type of person that wields more power than he actually possesses, creating several memorable scenes between his laughable character and Chili's perpetual coolness. Then there is the slimy director, Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman), a second rate director of B horror movies, whose interactions with Chili show us a less professional view of Hollywood. There is also the pompous, egocentric actor Martin Weir (Danny Devito), who makes us laugh at the lifestyle of the Hollywood star. All of the characters in Get Shorty show us an amusing side of Hollywood that is simultaneously paying homage to and poking fun at movies. Much of the film is shot in the style of film noir, stressing the gangster attitude that is conveyed throughout. But this convention is even stretched and toyed with in the movie. Chili's character is shot mostly in this style and his clothing is predominantly black, but this is parodied with Ray Bones, who wears light pink although he is himself a gangster. The sunny pastels of Florida and California contrast with this style as well, making us realize this isn't the typical gangster film. That being said, Get Shorty is a clever take on the classic gangster film with an outstanding cast and memorable witty dialogue.

Smart, funny, devastating satire of the Hollywood scene

This film is based on the Elmore Leonard book of the same name. This is a hilarious satire of Hollywood. Chili Palmer (John Travolta) is a loan shark from Miami tracking down a deadbeat who has run off. Palmer's travels take him to Hollywood, where he meets Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman). Zimm is a producer of major motion pictures (read B horror flicks). His lover is Karen (Rene Russo). His meetings give Palmer the "movie bug."Already a huge movie fan, Palmer decides to produce "Mr. Lovejoy" a script that Zimm proclaims will be hs "Driving Miss Daisy." The plot centers around efforts to raise the necessary money and land Martin Weir (Danny DeVito) in the lead role. Fortunately Weir is Karen's es-husband. And Palmer has access to $300,000 generated from Las Vegas winnings of the missing deadbeat, Leo. As a further complication there is a drug dealer (Delroy Lindo) who has invested in one of Zimm's pictures. But he has gotten in trouble with his supplier for $500,000 and a missing nephew.DeVito does a wonderful job playing the self-involved, pretentious Weir. There are wonderful comments about screen writers. Spelling is optional, not necessary. The role of a screenwriter is just to put the commas in where they belong. Travolta is delightful as a "nice guy" wiseguy. In fact, the entire cast is just great.The plot lines never overwhelm the film, and they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. (Note: Thanks to Pulp Fiction, studios are willing now to use non-linear plot lines on occasion.). The ending is terrific (watch for the cameo by Harvey Keitel). I saw this in the theatre and have seen it several times on video. This one is definitely a keeper.

Look at me...

"Get Shorty" is a humdinger of a movie - smart, funny, and VERY full of itself...kinda like its "hero", Chili Palmer.

Every character and performance hits all the right notes, starting with John Travolta's right-on portrayal of Palmer, a loan shark who has tired of the mob business and would like to try his hand at a REAL mob business: the movies.

Palmer isn't a bad guy; he's just all business, which certain characters (especially Ray Bones) should have figured out early on. But they don't, and we get to see Chili eliminate his enemies one by one through sheer guile and smarts. In particular, his payback on Bones is an absolute classic.

One of the film's truly great pleasures is watching great actors like Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito try to play Chili. Hackman's performance gets him a very unwelcome audience with Bones ("I heard you shot the guy four times in the chest and once in the foot"), while DeVito's simply doesn't work, and by the end of the movie Chili is looking to "get" someone other than "shorty".

Also look for James Gandolfini in his best pre-Tony Soprano role as an ex-stuntman.