Film review: Get Shorty

Confidence is key for John Travolta’s Chili Palmer, in Barry Sonnenfeld’s cracking Hollywood crime comedy, Get Shorty (1995).

John Travolta’s acting career was in a real slump when he landed his role in "Pulp Fiction" in 1994. A surprise hit that became a cultural phenomenon, it brought back Travolta into the mainstream. I feel (and I’m not the only one) that while "Pulp Fiction" rejuvenated his career as an actor, "Get Shorty" cemented his status as a great star.

Based on a novel by the great Elmore Leonard, it follows Travolta as mob loan shark Chili Palmer who, while following a money debt out to Hollywood, decides to enter the movie business. Travolta is superb in his role, underplaying it perfectly. The rest of the cast are fantastic as well - Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Denis Farina, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini. and Danny Devito.

Chili Palmer is such a great character. He is essentially a good bad guy amongst bad bad guys. The great irony in the movie is how he leaves one cutthroat and ruthless world - the Mafia - and enters an even worse one - Hollywood. "Get Shorty" is not only a great crime comedy but a great satire on the phony baloney aspect of Hollywood with its false appearances and false promises. Chili Palmer’s whole dictum is confidence and lack of BS. He does and says what he means. You see this throughout the movie with people being drawn to him and even becoming more confident themselves.

Writer Scott Frank did a great job of adapting Leonards words and director Barry Sonenfeld did a flawless job in directing that script. A former cinematographer - most notably lensing the first three Coen Brothers movies, he was on a roll at this time. He had just done the Addams Family movies beforehand with his next movie after this being "Men in Black". He knows how to shoot comedies, unlike a lot of people today. He understands that comedy plays great in wide shots and that a lot of comedy should be played straight. Sonenfeld would attempt a similar comedy along these lines years later with Big Trouble - not a bad movie but it ain’t "Get Shorty". It’s effortlessly funny and cool because it’s not trying to be. Its disappointing sequel "Be Cool" fails because it proves the opposite. "Get Shorty" would also be adapted into a T.V. show in 2017 with Ireland’s own Chris O’Dowd and Ray Romano starring. It’s a different story to the movie and has its moments but the movie still reigns supreme.

"Get Shorty" shows that there’s nothing more attractive than just being honest, direct and being yourself. Chili proves this and then some. We can learn a lot from the way Chili carries himself. He says at one point in the movie “Don’t worry, I not gonna say any more than I have to, if that.” I really wish everyone in the world would follow his lead. Available on DVD, Blu- Ray and to stream on YouTube.