Film Snail

6.5

Get Shorty

R·1995·105m

Comedy

Thriller

Crime

Comedy

Thriller

Crime

Summary

Chili Palmer is a Miami mobster who gets sent by his boss, the psychopathic "Bones" Barboni, to collect a bad debt from Harry Zimm, a Hollywood producer who specializes in cheesy horror films. When Chili meets Harry's leading lady, the romantic sparks fly. After pitching his own life story as a movie idea, Chili learns that being a mobster and being a Hollywood producer really aren't all that different.

Cast

John Travolta

Chili Palmer

Gene Hackman

Harry Zimm

Rene Russo

Karen Flores

Danny DeVito

Martin Weir

Dennis Farina

Ray 'Bones' Barboni

Delroy Lindo

Bo Catlett

James Gandolfini

Bear

Jon Gries

Ronnie Wingate

Renee Props

Nicki

David Paymer

Leo Devoe

Martin Ferrero

Tommy Carlo

Miguel Sandoval

Mr. Escobar

Jacob Vargas

Yayo Portillo

Linda Hart

Fay Devoe

Bette Midler

Doris Saphron

Bobby Slayton

Dick Allen

Ron Karabatsos

Momo

Alison Waddell

Bear's Daughter

Amber Waddell

Bear's Daughter

John Cothran

Agent Curtis

Jack Conley

Agent Dunbar

Bernard Hocke

Agent Morgan

Big Daddy Wayne

Ray Barboni's Bodyguard

Jay Montalvo

Big Guy with Escobar

Carlease Burke

Rental Car Attendant

Vito Scotti

Manager at Vesuvio's

Rino Piccolo

Waiter at Vesuvio's

Alfred Dennis

Ed the Barber

Ralph Manza

Fred the Barber

Zed Frizzelle

Kid at Lockers

Harry Victor

Limo Driver with Sign

Patrick Breen

Resident Doctor

Barry Sonnenfeld

Doorman

Donna W. Scott

Screaming Woman

Rebeca Arthur

Las Vegas Waitress

Zack Phifer

Ivy Restaurant Maitre d'

Greg Goossen

Duke, Man at the Ivy

Jeffrey Stephan

Bones' Buddy

Ernest 'Chili' Palmer

Bones' Buddy

Leslie Bega

Vikki Vespa

Harvey Keitel

Himself

Penny Marshall

Herself

Alex Rocco

Jimmy Capp

Crew

Director

Barry Sonnenfeld

Novel

Elmore Leonard

Screenplay

Scott Frank

Reviews

narrator56

October 23, 2022

I know that no movie is perfect but for my money Get Shorty is on my short list of films that come close. As good as the book is, I believe the movie improved upon it. I have watched it a few times, it being one of those movies we might invite a friend over to watch who hasn’t seen it. Plus it has surfaced a few times when I surf streaming channels and I usually stop to watch for a while, no matter where in the film I am.

The ensemble cast (which includes a few lower echelon stars) is excellent and mostly look like they are having fun with it. There is violence, but not with buckets of blood. It almost seems like cartoonish violence. And of course wit and humor run through it, with a bit of satire on Hollywood thrown in.

I just found out today that a sequel was made called Be Cool and a British tv series based on the book, but I like this one so much I won't even risk disappointment by watching those other entries.