Viewers should not expect much from Hollywood sequels, as they are often disappointingly worse than their original counterparts. Expectations should be even lower when those originals weren’t much to write home about, like in the case of Get Shorty, 1995 black comedy which won public and critics mainly for being mistaken for Pulp Fiction on the account John Travolta playing a “cool” smalltime gangster. Ten years, whatever magic Get Shorty originally had was exhausted, at least judging by its sequel Be Cool, directed by F. Gary Gray.
John Travolta reprises his role as Chili Palmer, a former Miami loan shark who turned his street smarts into a successful film production career. Ten years later, Chili has lost his enthusiasm for the movie business and decides to switch to the music industry. His friend Tommy Athens (played by James Woods), owner of a small record label, is murdered by Russian mobsters, prompting Chili to comfort his widow Edie (played by Uma Thurman) and protect her from the predatory rap mogul Sin LaSalle (played by Cedric the Entertainer). Meanwhile, Chili helps young and talented singer Linda Moon (played by Christina Milian) break free from corrupt producers Nick Carr (played by Harvey Keitel) and Roger “Raji” Lowenthal (played by Vince Vaughan).
As a comedy, Be Cool only succeeds with a certain set of cinephiles who appreciate the film's numerous references to previous movies. Unfortunately, this reliance on nostalgia means that the film will not be funny or entertaining to viewers without a strong connection to the original Get Shorty.
The film's attempts to compensate for its lack of content with celebrity cameos fall flat. The inclusion of Steven Tyler playing himself in a cameo, as well as the reunion of Travolta with his Pulp Fiction co-stars Uma Thurman and Harvey Keitel, only highlights the blandness of the performances and poorly written characters. Vince Vaughn is particularly wasted in his one-note caricature of a white rapper.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is the only bright spot in the film, delivering a spirited performance as a bodyguard who wants to become an actor and is presumed gay. Unfortunately, his role is too small to make up for the mediocrity of the rest of the film.
In the end, Be Cool failed at the box office, a fact acknowledged by director F. Gary Gray, who primarily blamed himself and the compromises made with the studio. The film's PG-13 rating also robbed it of any refreshing "edginess," condemning it to a well-deserved oblivion.
RATING: 2/10 (-)
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