Everyone is looking for the next big hit.
In this sequel to the 1995 hit Get Shorty, John Travolta picks up his role as the Miami mobster turned Hollywood producer Chili Palmer. After his friend, music executive Tommy Athens (James Woods) is killed, Chili, who was fed up with the movie business anyway, decides to jump-start his music industry career with the help of Tommy’s widow Edie (Uma Thurman). Soon however, when Chili tries to win over a young up-and-coming singer (Christina Milian) he realizes that the music industry is quite a biatch as he will have to deal with such twisted gangstas as Sin LaSalle (a music kingpin played by Cedric the Entertainer) and his party posse, Dabu (a trigger-happy gang-banger played by Outkast’s André 3000), Raji (Vince Vaughn’s character who has a preference for acting black) and Elliot (Raji’s gay bodyguard played by former wrestling star The Rock).
As it often is the case with movies with A-list laden casts, Be Cool is heavily character driven while the plot remains somewhat secondary. Nevertheless, the movie gives a hilariously stereotyped view on the music business and especially the hippy-hop genre. With additional music from Aerosmith, the Rock as a freakin’ funny Samoan bodyguard who participates in a Polynesian lap dance, a scantily clad Christina Milian, and a Pulp Fiction reminiscent Travolta/Thurman dance scene, Be Cool is over-the-top with comedy and music and features more cameos than you might spot on a first viewing. Even though Be Cool lacks some of the appeal and charm of its predecessor Get Shorty, John Travolta keeps his fingers crossed that a musical number can save his career one more time.
Yo homie! Be Entertained. (3 out of 4 Grammies)