ofumalow
This movie is a latterday exemplar of the type that gets made because umpteen agents and studio executives have convinced themselves that a starry prior hit can be sequelized into an even starrier, bigger hit--ergo no expense should be spared in terms of production-value excess, name-performer baggage (here extending to the realms of standup comedy, rock, rap and R&B stars), and miscellaneous expensive whatnot.\John Travolta gets to reprise his too-cool-for-school protagonist from "Get Shorty," and nods to "Pulp Fiction" in a dance sequence with reunited female lead Uma Thurman. Those are just a couple of the film's myriad "in-joke" Hollywood or music-industry references, which come off as less clever than simply a smug exercise of A-list privilege. (The only reason this movie includes variably brief appearances by Wyclef Jean, James Woods, Fred Durst, Black-Eyed Peas, Gene Simmons, Aerosmith, RZA, Sergio Mendes, Anna Nicole Smith etc. is simply to flaunt its leading characters'--and makers'--infinite fantasy showbiz connectedness.) The results are overblown and pandering--to an imagined mass audience that might enjoy both Elmore Leonard-derived, very Caucasian arch neo-noir comedy and heavy "white negro" (Norman Mailer's phrase) dives into gangsta hiphopdom. But that high-concept gamble failed, as "Be Cool" was not a box-office success.It's a diverting movie due to so many disparate narrative and casting elements, if nowhere near a good one. The racial and gender stereotyping is sometimes borderline offensive, even if it's all meant in "fun." The Rock has funny moments as a bodyguard/wannabe actor, even if his character's homosexuality is used for some cheap jokes. Vince Vaughn, Cedric the Entertainer, Danny DeVito and others are funny guys--at least when they've got better material than they do here. "Be Cool" isn't bad. It's the equivalent of fleetingly entertaining but instantly forgettable star vehicles from Hollywood's "Golden Age." Except those at least faked sincerity--this is an entirely cynical enterprise. It's a deliberate, crass cash cow that despite everything failed to give birth to more money.
Sirus_the_Virus
Barry Sonnefeld's Get Shorty was such a funny film that I was excited to see the sequel, Be Cool. I was happy to see John Travolta and Danny De Vito return. But my smile quickly faded away. What happened? Get Shorty was so funny and clever and Be Cool lost it's brain. The cast got bigger, the humor got destroyed. I never ever thought I would see Chili Palmer(John Travolta) go into the music business. Be cool lost it's cool. Why would they cast Vince Vaughn as a gangster? Well, why would they cast him as Norman Bates is the real question. Uma Thurman isn't quite as likable as Rene Russo in Get shorty. I didn't like Bee cool all that much. i give it a thumbs down because I know fans of the first film will be disappointed. I sure as hell know I was. Ugh. I keep scratching my head thinking about how much better this film could've been. I never read the books, by Elmore Leonard, the genius behind Jackie Brown and 3:10 to Yuma. If this film is so bad it means that the book must be as bad. Or maybe not. Director F. Gary Gray doesn't quite have what Barry Sonnenfeld had. I think people who loved the original will be disappointed. I was. Be cool is partially a rip off of Pulp fiction if you think about it. Because Travolta and Thurman dance yet again. But this time around it is a bit painful. The film is a bit painful. But by a bit, I mean a lot.Be Cool: *1/2 out of ****
