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Back Shelf Beauties
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Be Cool I have to confess and get this off my chest to be fair with you. I have a Man Crush on John Travolta. Don't get me wrong, I still like girls (and I'm willing to prove it anytime Eva Mendes has a free night), but, if I liked boys, I think I'd be tempted to chase after The Coolest Man on the Planet. If he bought me dinner, maybe a romantic carriage ride through the city, you never know what could happen. So, with Travolta reprising one of his best roles for this sequel to Get Shorty (one of my favorite movies), Be Cool couldn't be ruined if they cast Ben Affleck, the Olsen Twins, Tara Reid AND Jamie Kennedy. It's cool. Travolta stars as Chili Palmer - the former Mafia shylock turned Hollywood mega-mogul. Unfortunately, Chili has grown weary of the movie business and how corporate it has become (singing to the choir, my man, singing to the choir). When his pal, Tommy (James Woods), is shot by the Russian mob, Chili moves in to save his record label, bring justice to the killer, promote a talented up-and-coming singer, Linda (Christina Milian) and protect Tommy's wife, Edie (Uma Thurman). He might even dance somewhere along the way (YEAH BABY! That is why you buy a ticket!). Can Chili conquer the music business like he did the movie business? Of course, he can! We're not talking about some C-list wannabe star like Joshua Jackson or Daniel Baldwin. We're talking about John Travolta (aka The Coolest Man on the Planet), and he can save a movie when it's needed. Sadly, at times, Be Cool needs it, but it's still a very good movie. Be Cool's biggest problem is a slight lack of energy and fun. It's not devoid of these elements (I had a fun time), and all of my criticisms are aimed at making a very good movie into a great movie, but Be Cool is a quiet film that needs a better score, a more complicated plot, snappier dialogue and the magic - that hard to describe, but undeniable ability to bring a smile to your face. After starting off with a great opening sequence full of moments and lines that properly poke fun at movies and make you remember Get Shorty all over again, writer Paul Steinfeld (based on the novel by Elmore Leonard) doesn't bring the same wit and cutting humor to the rest of the film. It's sad to see Chili bemoan how "corporate" movies have gotten, while surrounded by plenty of product placement that only needs to show the item's price tag to make it into a full blown infomercial (why not make fun of that?!?!). The give and take between Chili and the rest of the cast is solid, but often comes up short of great, and the story needs more stuff to happen. More twists and turns would ramp up the pace, and engage us intellectually, but I can't blame Steinfeld for the lack of energy (maybe he was hired because some producer thought he was Paul SEINFELD and Jerry's brother). Blame lies at the feet of director F. Gary Gray. Gray wisely fixes the camera on Travolta to let him win over the audience, but doesn't make Be Cool crescendo the way it must. He allows the movie to get bogged down by musical numbers that last too long (hint to Gray - if the song being sung by Milian lasts longer than Travolta's dance scene, cut it!!!), tries a bit too hard to feature and squeeze in each main player's big moment (which makes some moments stick out instead of fit in) and doesn't fill the movie with enough attitude. The action is ALMOST there, and needs to be tighter with a better musical score to get you grooving and make you feel alive, as well as feel the movie's attitude. Ultimately, it's this ensemble of actors that makes Be Cool the movie to see this weekend. Travolta (fyi - The Coolest Man on the Planet) is back to being mesmerizing and captivating on screen. He knows this character, how to pierce you with his glare, how to move across the room and DANCE DANCE DANCE! Travolta has great chemistry with Thurman, who gets to a chance to be sexy and quirky all at the same time, but our star's pairing with The Rock is Be Cool's biggest strength. The Rock is funny! While Vince Vaughn has the over-the-top, scene dominating role as a record producer, Raji, who acts like he's straight from Snoop Dogg's neighborhood, The Rock plays Raji's homosexual bodyguard, Elliott, who dreams of becoming an actor, and has a special talent familiar to fans of The Rock. He handles every outrageous, silly, embarrassing scene with great comic timing and a willingness to be crazy, especially as Elliott gets some new clothes or shows Chili his "monologue." The Rock is dedicated to the role, and it pays off. Andre 3000 from Outkast also shows some comic ability, and you'll be glad to see Cedric The Entertainer as Sin LaSalle - a Harvard educated MBA who is tender with his kid and street tough while conducting business. Raji and Sin are funny commentaries on how you're "supposed" to act when in the music business. I might have listed many ways to make Be Cool a better movie, but it's already a very good one. Buy a ticket for it this weekend. 3 Waffles (Out Of 4) Copyright 2005 - WaffleMovies.com
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