Get Shorty (1995)

A gangster travels to Hollywood to retrieve a debt and gets wrapped up in the movie business. Trying to get a film made as the mob close in. Gangsters, producers, actors, no one can be trusted, everyone is out for themselves.

John Travolta, as Chili Palmer, is riding the Pulp Fiction (‘94) wave and indeed so is this film, a pulpy story which is a very close adaptation of the same titled Elmore Leonard novel.

The only real variation from the novel for me, character wise, is Danny Devito as Martin Weir. Here he plays it sleazy whereas I found him to be more deluded in the book.

Gene Hackman is great as the b-movie producer, Harry Zimm, trying to get the screenplay, “Mr Lovejoy” produced. Playing it straight he garners most of the laughs, especially trying to mimic Chili in his confrontation with a suitably, always menacing, Denis Farina as Ray Barboni.

It was great seeing Delroy Lindo and James Gondolfini as two loan sharks trying to muscle in on the money and screenplay, and Rene Russo as a one time scream queen who helps guide Chili through Hollywood.

Only complaint is the film felt very slight, I could’ve done with more, which when compared to the novel not much was missed. I’m all for faithful adaptions, but sometimes, in a different medium, risks should be taken, or characters, arcs, explored with greater strokes. But, for a funny, well written comedy it still succeeds.