BE COOL by F. Gary Gray



The sequel to 1995’s ‘Get Shorty’ sees Chili Palmer (John Travolta - somewhat stiff) get tired of the movie-business and changing into the world of the music industry - which, we learn, is a very dangerous place (which doesn’t really impress Chili, of course). Together with widowed Edie (Uma Thurman) he wants to produce young singer Linda Moon (Christina Milian - girly band-material). Trouble is sure to come with Linda’s manager Raji (Vince Vaughn - doing the black-wannabe routine which gets tiresome with time), his boss Nick Carr (Harvey Keitel), Sin LaSalle’s (Cedric the Entertainer) gangsta-rappers, the Russians who offed Edie’s husband etc. etc.
There are some entertaining scenes with The Rock as Vince Vaughn’s gay bodyguard (who wants to be a movie star), AndrĂ© 3000 as Dabu (one of Cedric’s less than clever henchmen), there is the dance scene with John Travolta and Uma Thurman (who make a great couple on screen), and a concert scene with Aerosmith, but the movie is missing a decent story, it’s not noir, many of the jokes misfire, and there is no esprit - and no real coolness. Watch when you are a fan of The Rock, or love to see John T. and Uma dance, or when you’re a die-hard Aerosmith-fan and just must see everything they are in.

