GET SHORTY
A film review by Ted Prigge
Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Writer: Scott Frank (from the novel by Elmore Leonard) Starring: John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Dennis Farina, David Paymer, James Gandolfini, Martin Fererro, Miguel Sandoval, Linda Hart, Big Daddy Wayne, Bette Midler, Penny Marshall, and the immortal Harvey Keitel
>From the 30-some films based on best-selling pulp writer Elmore Leonard's books, this (and probably Quenitn's up-coming "Jackie Brown" based on Leonard's "Rum Punch") is probably the only Leonard book to ever actually be brilliant. Most just play out his complex plots and get some pulp out of it (like the recent un-spectacular "Pronto," which was too TV-movie-esque, even for a TV movie) or make nonsense out of them (Burt Reynolds in "Stick" - ???). But "Get Shorty" finally finds that nerve that Leonard has and even goes the next level with it - by making satire out of it.
"Get Shorty" compares Hollywood and the crime business in a flawless satire which gets more fun and intriguing every time one watches it (so it's one of my faves of all time - this review ISN'T biased - swear to God). John Travolta perfectly inhabits the character of Chili Palmer, an ultra-confident Shylock from Miami Beach who loves movies. He can name "Rio Bravo" after hearing Dean Martin utter one line. He can mouth the ending to Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil." He can even quote lines from grade triple Z horror films. He's basically the man, in my opinion. I mean, even I can't mouth the words to the end of "Touch of Evil."
The story starts when Chili gets in trouble with a guy from another Miami mob - Ray "Bones" Barboni (the also flawless and highly underrated Dennis Farina) - who steals his $399 Serpico-esque black jacket in the beginning causing Chili to break his nose and later on shoot some of his scalp off. Ray can't touch him because he's from another mob but Chili's mob boss dies from a stroke (or something) from a surprise party. Now Chili is Ray's man and he sends him to fix a blank in his book having to do with a stupid dry-cleaner (David Paymer) who got lucky and missed a flight that blew up but everyone thinks he was on it and has taken his insurance money from his poor wife (who hates him anyway) and gone to Vegas (smart idea, let me tell you). Chili goes out to get him but also has to pick up money from a grade triple Z "film" director, Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman). Thus starts Chili's life in L.A, the Hollywood/Mafia satire and just the beginning of a typically complex Elmore Leonard plot (this is just the first 10 minutes, hang in there!).
Chili decides to stay out there and make movies with Harry Zimm, but quality movies. Chili has pitched his story to Harry and he likes it a lot but he wants to make another one, a quality flick called "Mr. Lovejoy." But all his money comes from a crooked Limo-service owner, Bo Catlett (the yet again, flawless and underrated Delroy Lindo), who gets sucked into the movie business after reading the "Mr. Lovejoy" screenplay but gets pushed away from Chili who just wants him to give the money and keep his nose in its on place. Meanwhile, they're trying to get huge (yet short) movie star, Martin Weir (the flaw...hell, everybody's flawless - Danny DeVito) to be in it so they can get financing, and the only way to do it is to have Chili talk with him ("I'm gonna put a gun to his head, say 'Sign the papers, Martin, or you're dead,' and that's it.") but also talk with Martin's ex, a grade triple Z movie actress, Karen Flores (Rene Russ - you know it...) whom Chili can quote from her crap flicks...and who he has a relationship with later on.
All these diverse characters come together in a character clash and by the end, people are dead and even crooks have switched from the mafia to making movies. One of the great things the film shows is how easily crooks can be influenced by movies and movie actors can be influenced by crooks. For one thing, Chili is a walking film encylcopedia who's every move has been influenced by a cornucopia of movies. His jacket's from "Serpico," his slicked-back hair is from Michael Douglas in "Wall Street" (proving I read the book too), etc. Yet when he goes to Hollywood, it is Hollywood that is influenced by him. Immeadiately, Harry begins acting tough and saying Chili's trademark "Look at me" line...of course, he says it to the wrong person. And after meeting him, Martin Weir is dressing like him and giving a pseudo-Chili look to everyone...even driving a replica of Chili's rented mini-van which was ironically a mistake.
But this satire would be dull if it didn't have a great screenplay, and this one actually quotes from the meister of criminal-lingo, Elmore Leonard (come on, you know Quentin was totally influenced by him). Travolta said in an interview that the screenplay took out all of his dialogue and shortened it. For example, when Chili finds out his coat has been stolen, the script read "Where's my coat? It cost me $400!" or something to that forte. But Travolta claims he had them put it back to the long one of something like "Where's my long-sleeved, black lapel, with pockets and everything black jacket that looks like Al Pacino's in 'Serpico?' 'Cause if you can't find it, you owe me $379!" Again, I don't know the actual quotes, but you get the point that Elmore writes great dialogue. His characters are well-defined and well portrayed by a wide assortment of character actors. Even Gene Hackman plays a totally different character - a wannabe toughguy yet a wimp.
Barry Sonnenfeld, who started out as a Coen Bros. cinematographer and later directed the two Addams Family Movies (the first one was okay, but the second one was classic) and the upcoming cool-movie-of-the-summer "Men in Black" - which looks so cool, it's orgasmic - well, he does an awesome job with the film, giving it that right pulp kick as well as showing a knack for creating priceless comic moments - from the big "Stuntman Fall in the fancy restaurant" to the very subtle stupid limo driver who shows a guy from Miami Beach the L.A. ocean. He's a great director and should have gotten much more notice than he did for this film.
The best acting job from "Get Shorty" really goes to Travolta, who stands out at the top of a great cast (with cameos from Bette Midler and, as I said, the immortal Harvey Keitel). He won the Golden Globe for Best Comedic Actor but really should have had a chance at the Oscar for his priceless work on this film. He inhabits every quirk of his character and presents a character so likable and so utterly cool (that it hurts), that he just makes you applaud him at the end. This film was the deciding factor in whether or not Travolta has actually "come back" even after stunning everyone in the world with "Pulp Fiction." They couldn't have chosen a better film to show that he has come back - everyone went to see it for the man Travolta and even if they didn't like the complex plot and/or appreciate the brilliant black comedy or satire, they at least could see Travolta giving a commanding performance as one of a character so goddam cool he HAD to be named "Chili."
But the best part of it is all fo it. It works so great as a whole that it is entertaining while it is intelligent. Imagine that. "Get Shorty" was arguably the best film to come out of 1995. Thank God someone could make a perfect film that year.
MY RATING (out of 5): *****
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