FanUnity B(uzz)log

I'm not sure who asked for a sequel to "Get Shorty", but we got one in "Be Cool." Now, I enjoyed the first film when it came out in theaters. At the time John Travolta was in the afterglow of "Pulp Fiction", and the baggage he carried onto the screen with him helped define his character of Chili Palmer as ultracool. Over ten years later, Chili's charm is still in tact, but it ain't the 90s anymore.

When we last left Chili, he was producing movies. Now he's decided to switch over to the music industry after his friend, a music executive, gets whacked by the Russian mob. He soon discovers the talented Beyonce clone Linda Moon (Christina Milian) crooning in a nightclub. Problem is, Moon's locked into a longterm one-sided contract with super producer Nick Carr (Harvey Keitel). When Chili shakes down Carr's lackey Raji (Vince Vaughn) and his henchman Elliot (The Rock), he earns Linda some degree of freedom. Chili brings her before his exec pal's widow (Uma Thurman) and convinces her to produce Linda's record through his deceased pal's now financially destitute production company. Problem is, the company isn't just running on zero money, it's actually $300,000 in the hole to the Shug Knight-like hip/hop mogul Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer). Meanwhile, everyone wants Chili dead, and he's got to manipulate it all to his advantage.

The main problem with "Be Cool" is that you never suspect at any point that it isn't going to work out for Chili. It's just a matter of how. Which would be okay, if the events all unfolded in a stunningly clever way … but they don't. There's never a sense of doom over our smug hero, he just slips through each scene like he's made out of teflon. That might be the character, but it doesn't make the stakes feel very high.

Another problem with the film is that it really hinges on the idea that Linda Moon is a special talent. The thing is, her songs all suck. Sure she looks the part, and Christina Milian has a strong voice, but like a minor character on the film says, so do a bunch of people who try out for "American Idol." The "original" songs you hear coming from the character don't pay off the idea that she's so special that people are ready to kill to put out her album. Plus, the whole bit with Aerosmith is about as moronic and unrealistic as a movie can get.

One more thing I didn't like: While the entire movie is a sequel to "Get Shorty", the film takes some time smack in the middle to homage "Pulp Fiction" by having Thurman and Travolta share an extended dance sequence. Boring.

All of this negativity aside, there are some nice things about "Be Cool", mainly in the performances. The casting director did a great job of lining up likable actors. Travolta is still charming as Chili, even if the routine is a bit old now. Vaughn, The Rock and Cedric the Entertainer are all fun character actors. The Rock particularly steals his scenes as an afro-wearing, homosexual thug who really just wants to be an actor (this guy is really talented, I wish someone would put him in a film that wasn't a total piece of crap for once).

All in all, "Be Cool" is a film that wasn't worth making. I'm not sure anyone really wanted this sequel other than those who (thought they) stood to profit from it, and the story itself didn't need telling. Chili Palmer was a fun character, but he's better off in the 1990s.

1.5/5 Stars.