Rating: Summary: The best crime movie ever! Review: Elmore Leonard's scalpel-sharp dialogue is brought to the silver screen in a rare film - one that does the book justice. Sonnenfeld helms an absolutely taut movie complete with stellar performances and memorable set pieces - in short, one you shouldn't miss.
Rating: Summary: Look at Me, Harry!! Review: I can watch this movie over and over again. I have to admit the first time I watched it I got a little lost on who was who and what was what, but after seeing several more times this has to be one of the funniest movies. John Travolta is perfect as Chili Palmer. Dennis Farina is perfect as the role of Ray Barbone. It's a wonderful movie and if you pay close enough attention you'll notice that the five main characters (Travolta, Russo, DeVito, Hackman, and Farina) all say the phrase "Look at Me" at least once. I don't know why it isn't called "Look at me". Very entertaining.
Rating: Summary: GET LOST! Review: I got this movie free when I purchased my DVD player, and now I know why. I cant even give it away. I personally dont know a single person who liked this movie. Dont waste your time or money on this.
Rating: Summary: Great - but wait for the extras? Review: This is,as has been noted, a richly entertaining movie:the screenplay does justice,for once,to Elmore Leonard's novel,the direction has a real feel for the material and the acting is assured.If you have not seen it before,buy it and be charmed.If you already know it and love it,you might want to wait for a while longer in case some kind of "special edition" is released:this DVD is disappointingly modest,particularly when one remembers that the earlier laserdisc version came with an entertaining and illuminating audio commentary from Barry Sonnenfeld and some noteworthy outtakes.The extras,therefore,are definitely out there,and they must,surely,find their way onto a DVD at some point in the near future.
Rating: Summary: Its an average movie, sorry! Review: I don't think this movie is nearly as good as they say. I think you have to be a Travolta fan to go all out on this one. The movie is ok but thats about it. I can think of much better comedies that this one.
Rating: Summary: A Wickedly Entertaining Black Comedy! Review: Hip, sharp, smart, cool and wickedly funny comedy about Hollywood. John Travolta is in top form as Chilli Palmer, a mob hitman and acknowledged film buff who goes to Hollywood to try to figure out the business. An extraordinary supporting cast filled with big-time actors; Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina and Delroy Lindo. Extremely smart for being a comedy, but also works as a satire of B movies and their producers. Some very funny moments of high-brow humor, but also some sly jokes that elevate this one from the usual comedy. Extremely entertaining filled with in-jokes and uniquely funny characters. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film an 8!
Rating: Summary: Get Shorty--Get Laughs Review: John Travolta is Chili Palmer, a gangster who ventures to Hollywood to collect a debt, and in the process, plunges into the world of movies. Chili is played so cool and so slick by Italian king of slickness--Travolta and with such comic brilliance mixed in with the dramatic plot elements. Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito's characters are absolutely hilarious. Russo is looking as hot as ever and the rest of this super cast all play their parts really well. Look for Tony Soprano as "Bear." Chili is the best character though--I mean what's better than a gangster turned Hollywood? What's better than a gangster picture that unfolds in Hollywood?
Rating: Summary: Look at me... Review: "Get Shorty" is a humdinger of a movie - smart, funny, and VERY full of itself...kinda like its "hero", Chili Palmer.Every character and performance hits all the right notes, starting with John Travolta's right-on portrayal of Palmer, a loan shark who has tired of the mob business and would like to try his hand at a REAL mob business: the movies. Palmer isn't a bad guy; he's just all business, which certain characters (especially Ray Bones) should have figured out early on. But they don't, and we get to see Chili eliminate his enemies one by one through sheer guile and smarts. In particular, his payback on Bones is an absolute classic. One of the film's truly great pleasures is watching great actors like Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito try to play Chili. Hackman's performance gets him a very unwelcome audience with Bones ("I heard you shot the guy four times in the chest and once in the foot"), while DeVito's simply doesn't work, and by the end of the movie Chili is looking to "get" someone other than "shorty". Also look for James Gandolfini in his best pre-Tony Soprano role as an ex-stuntman.
Rating: Summary: Great Book, better movie, but not Dustin Hoffman's favorite Review: I read the book two years b/4 the movie came out and LOVED it. I expected to be disappointed as it is difficult to paint on film as well as in a book. Not in this case. Not only was the movie basically true to the book, it was funnier. I also rewatch this movie when I'm bored and continue to be amused. As you may know, rumor has it Leonard wrote this after dealing with famous Hollywood short guy, Dustin Hoffman. I don't know if that's true but Devito was great lampooning Hollywood and Chili Palmer was played to perfection by Travolta. I try to limit 5 star ratings but this one is definitely deserved. It's a shame that movies that entertain are not highly respected by the Academy. Isn't that what they are supposed to do?
Rating: Summary: Cool Personified Review: Great movie. Great performances all around - especially by Travolta, whose Chili Palmer ranks as one of the coolest characters ever. Loved that scene of him ascending the restaurant staircase.
One quick nit to pick: contrary to a review recently posted (below) - Get Shorty was indeed written by Elmore Leonard, but LA Confidential (also superb) is by James Ellroy.
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