CS Weekly Archive > DVD of the Day > 6/03/05

Too Cool for School

by dennis sampson

Be Cool

Peter Steinfeld
Based on the novel by Elmore Leonard

Devoid of the wit and flair of Get Shorty, Be Cool is a mess of a movie that missteps by inadvertently pointing out its own shortcomings. John Travolta revives his role as Chili Palmer, former loan shark turned Hollywood producer, now turned music producer. Moving from the shady (but colorful) characters of the movie business to the crudely drawn (and unlikely) characters of the music world, Be Cool works under the assumption that the whole world loved its predecessor so much, all it has to do is place charismatic Chili in a few wacky situations and then let the hijinks ensue. The movie isn't aware that it needs an original storyline of its own before it can allude to others. It makes several references to Get Shorty, and when that well of winking at the crowd runs dry, it moves shamelessly to Pulp Fiction (another film superior to this one). For its wildly outlandish characters and disengaging narrative, Be Cool's biggest flaw seems to be forgetting that a movie's objective should not be to make its audience feel like they'd rather be watching something better. Humdrum but copious extras add little to a film that has no reason to be as cocky as it is. In short, they're as empty as the movie.

Be Cool
MGM
Rated PG-13; 120 min.
$27.98

Buy it now for only $19.59 (save 30%)

Dennis Sampson is a commercial production coordinator and unproduced screenwriter. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his better half, Susan, and their dog Tripp.

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