Be Cool (2005)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Albert K

  
  I dont remember a whole lot but I remember thinking, "What the hell is the movie even about?" The commercials boasted an all-star cast but that is all that it delivered. One forgettable, dry, and pretentious movie.

• Dead A

  
  Loved the songs and it was funny (most of the time). And I must say, Rock was hilarious.

• Conner R

  
  It's one of those instances where you want to say "Nice Try", but this doesn't come close to having the magic of Get Shorty. While John Travolta and Uma Thurman are great and enough to make you keep watching, there was just too much jammed into this movie. We have… More
  It's one of those instances where you want to say "Nice Try", but this doesn't come close to having the magic of Get Shorty. While John Travolta and Uma Thurman are great and enough to make you keep watching, there was just too much jammed into this movie. We have a limitless supply of side characters, a plot that mirrors the original in a way that isn't fun or clever (mainly because it's trying to be different) and extremely average direction. Be Cool should be labled as a Gangsta Comedy, which appropriately judges how ridiculous it can be at times. It has some truly great moments and effectively funny scenes, but it's already dated horribly. It seems like this story was less about Chili Palmer and more about a bunch of odd characters that make up one uneven and silly plot. The reason it's tolerable is because of The Rock and his shiny red bat, but seeing Vince Vaughn in a baby blue wigger outfit is just not necessary.

• Adam M

  
  The depiction of the music business is so lazy and broad you have to wonder whether this is still a satire of Hollywood and the sequel hasn't really moved on to another target. The girl's songs are supposed to be undeniably ingenious and poignant -- they're more generic… More
  The depiction of the music business is so lazy and broad you have to wonder whether this is still a satire of Hollywood and the sequel hasn't really moved on to another target. The girl's songs are supposed to be undeniably ingenious and poignant -- they're more generic than lifelike. Be Cool puts on the distended, generic fantasy Hollywood has about other sectors of art-show business -- no satire here. Despite all the broad shtick, which includes 85% of Vince Vaughn's performance and 50% of the Rock's, the sunshine cinematography creates some cuteness when the characters are acting likeable. Travolta, Thurman and Keitel are actually great, and Cedric the Entertainer impresses. If I hadn't seen this movie I wouldn't have met Uma's character, so it was worth it.

• Chris W

  
  How the hell anyone could mess up a sequel to "Get Shorty" is beyond me. Not only that, but this is also a disappointing reunion between Travolta and Thurman. They have a dance scene here (as they did in "Pulp Fiction"), but it just fails to be as awesome. They… More
  How the hell anyone could mess up a sequel to "Get Shorty" is beyond me. Not only that, but this is also a disappointing reunion between Travolta and Thurman. They have a dance scene here (as they did in "Pulp Fiction"), but it just fails to be as awesome. They have good chemistry together though, and, even though the script is lacking, I can tell they (in places) tried a little bit. Still though, this isn't really that funny or charming, and, even though i think Gray isn't too bad of a director, this one just kinda sucks.

• Anthony L

  
  Awful film. I liked the Rock's performance but that is it. Its dreadful!

• Luke B

  
  Being a huge fan of Get Shorty, I was happy that watching this film felt like being thrown straight back into the swing of things. Travolta is again great although a little less likable than before. The film is mainly made up of musicians, comedians and even an ex-wrestler trying to… More
  Being a huge fan of Get Shorty, I was happy that watching this film felt like being thrown straight back into the swing of things. Travolta is again great although a little less likable than before. The film is mainly made up of musicians, comedians and even an ex-wrestler trying to act. Of course the performances are patchy, especially Milian who is pretty but empty in her role. Steven Tyler is just about bearable but his role is kept to a minimum. It is The Rock who impresses most, giving a great but small performance. He manages to convincingly portray a gay bodyguard without being too camp or OTT. The Bring it On monologue is simply hilarious. The dancing scene between Travolta and Thurman is very forced and other blatant references to the film BEING a film end up as irritating after an hour. A decent enough follow-up but Sonnenfeld is sorely missed.

• Al S

  
  The coolest movie in years. Total complete fun from start to finish. A great all-star cast. John Travolta has never been better. The Rock steals the show. Vince Vaughn, Cedric The Entertainer and Andre Benjamin are hilarious. Packs plenty of outragious laughs and explosive action.

• Lewis C

  
  Still enjoyable for those who may not have seen Get Shorty.

• Jens S

  
  The sequel of Get Shorty switches the scene from Hollywood's movie industry to its pop music business and makes sure to include all stereotypes of gangsta rap producers, Russian mafia and innocent little starlets. The cast is full of great names once again, but its the script… More
  The sequel of Get Shorty switches the scene from Hollywood's movie industry to its pop music business and makes sure to include all stereotypes of gangsta rap producers, Russian mafia and innocent little starlets. The cast is full of great names once again, but its the script that doesn't even remotely hold up to the first movie. Oddly flat characters making barely understandable decisions (at least the various bad guy fractions) and a rather confusing plot make this a surprisingly unfunny experience. Only The Rock Johnson deserves kudos for his role as gay bodyguard. Still, rather disappointing when compared to the really cool first part. Not even Travolta's and Thurman's first dance scene since Pulp Fiction can change that.

• Film C

  
  i reli enjoyed it john travolta is an excellant actor plays the part well

• Michael S

  
  A major disappointment.

• Steve B

  
  Bad adaptation of a terrible book -- Hollywood and Elmore Leonard should have left well enough alone with Get Shorty.

• Aaron N

  
  I don't even know what the fuck happened here. You have assembled another good cast yet everything goes wrong. Starting with Travolta, some how all his cool has been drained in this. Then you have Vince Vaugn just not being funny. Uma Thurman is just kind of around. The Rock is… More
  I don't even know what the fuck happened here. You have assembled another good cast yet everything goes wrong. Starting with Travolta, some how all his cool has been drained in this. Then you have Vince Vaugn just not being funny. Uma Thurman is just kind of around. The Rock is the only one that does anything memorable but it never grows to anything great. And the PG-13 downgrade does nothing to help this movie. A good example of a bad sequel.

• Michael G

  
  Should never have been made. The Rock was funny, but that's about it.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  really funny, great soundtrack

• Roy G

  
  John Travolta returns as the reformed mobster he played in Get Shorty. But while Get Shorty rode the Pulp Fiction craze with finesse, Be Cool is running on empty.

• Stuart B

  
  Good film, well acted and funny.... The Rock and Vaughn are hilarious

• Emily A

  
  I watched this movie when I was drunk and it still didn't make it any better. It had a dumb script and a cast that didn't seem to want to be in the movie. It just made me not want to be in the audience.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]"Be Cool" starts with music executive, Tommy Athens(James Woods), asking his friend, Chili Palmer(John Travolta), to give a singer he has discovered, Linda Moon(Christina Milian), a role in a movie but Chili is starting to tire of the sequels and idiotic… More
  [font=Century Gothic]"Be Cool" starts with music executive, Tommy Athens(James Woods), asking his friend, Chili Palmer(John Travolta), to give a singer he has discovered, Linda Moon(Christina Milian), a role in a movie but Chili is starting to tire of the sequels and idiotic ratings system of corporate Hollywood. However, Athens is soon after gunned down by a barely competent Russian hitman. Still, Chili goes to the Viper Room where Linda is performing and is so impressed with her singing that he wants her to make a record. However, she is under contract to Raji(Vince Vaughn), a sleazy manager, who exploits her to sing in night clubs. Chili wields his inimicable powers of persuasion to liberate her which angers Raji's boss, Nick Carr(Havey Keitel), to no end. Chili then goes to Athens' widow, Edie(Uma Thurman), to make the record, but the recording studio, her and her husband owned, is not only broke but they owe top producer, Sin La Salle(Cedric the Entertainer), $300,000.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Be Cool" is an amusing, self-referential movie but cannot match the original "Get Shorty" which it mirrors. The Rock amazingly shows signs of talent but Vince Vaughn is simply annoying.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Chili Palmer is an interesting character. He is very intelligent and can be violent but only when necessary and prefers to rely on his wits. His stay in Southern California shows what kind of life he could have lived, had he half the opportunities that most of the poseurs he meets had growing up. [/font]

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