Get Shorty
The mob is tough... but it's nothing like show business.
Loanshark Chili Palmer (Travolta) has done his time as a gangster. So when "business" takes him to Los Angeles to collect a debt from down-and-out filmmaker Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman), Chili talks tough and then pitches Harry a script idea. Immediately, Chili is swept into the Hollywood scene: he schmoozes film star Martin Weir (DeVito), romances "B" movie queen Karen Flores (Rene Russo) and even gets reservations at the hottest restaurants in town. In fact, all would be smooth for this cool new producer, if it weren't for the drug smugglers and an angry mobster who won't leave him alone. But hey, this is Hollywood and no one said it would be easy!
Member Reviews
Lifeless and dull - Cythraul
This movie bored me to tears. It had a few amusing moments, but no great ones. The characters weren't engaging, the plot wasn't interesting, and the situations weren't funny. Maybe this is just the "Seinfeld Isn't Funny" principle in play, but the whole Hollywood sendup just feels so obvious and played out.
Did not work for me.Classic Gangster comedy - Dikirk
Can you say gangster an comedy in the same phrase? Funny, engaging, good story line, great cast - it's all here. John Travolta, Gene Hackman and Dannny Devito all really well-cast. Hackman's character is a stunner - makes you give your head a shake - as a matter of fact the whole movie does.SSome things don't transplant or translate. - eleanorm
I never thought I would ever see a "gangster" movie that made me laugh, but this was it. What a marveoous send-up of both the gangster world and the movie world! Travolta's cool as a cucumber favorite expression -- "Look at me," doesn't translate into Harvey Keitel's world, and Dennis Farino's Miami world
doesn't transplant into Hollywood, with bizarre effects. But DeVito's "shorty" strolls through the whole thing unperturbed because despite his time spent on location getting into the frame of mind of a gangster, remains supremely ignorant of everything going on around him. The last scent is a gem. Loved the whole thing, and it seemed that the actors loved the whole thing as well -- great semse of the moment.
Member Reviews
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Lifeless and dull - Cythraul
This movie bored me to tears. It had a few amusing moments, but no great ones. The characters weren't engaging, the plot wasn't interesting, and the situations weren't funny. Maybe this is just the "Seinfeld Isn't Funny" principle in play, but the whole ...Classic Gangster comedy - Dikirk
Can you say gangster an comedy in the same phrase? Funny, engaging, good story line, great cast - it's all here. John Travolta, Gene Hackman and Dannny Devito all really well-cast. Hackman's character is a stunner - makes you give your head a shake - as ...SSome things don't transplant or translate. - eleanorm
I never thought I would ever see a "gangster" movie that made me laugh, but this was it. What a marveoous send-up of both the gangster world and the movie world! Travolta's cool as a cucumber favorite expression -- "Look at me," doesn't translate into Harvey ...