[Movies] Be Cool

We had recently purchased a DVD copy of Be Cool, the sequel to Get Shorty. This time former loan shark Chili Palmer (John Travolta) is setting his sights on the music industry after his past success with Hollywood.

The movie was really funny and a lot of fun to watch. What I liked most about it is that it's a smart kind of funny and not just some stupid slapstick piece, which appears to be becoming the current trend in comedies in recent years. Be Cool works because of the writing and the skills of the actors involved, and there are more than a few involved in this picture.

The film is littered with celebrity cameos, which are all tastefully done such that it doesn't seem to ridiculous for them to appear. It also says a lot about the forces behind the movie given how much clout was needed to get so many people in one film.

Special mention has to go to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for his performance in the film as the gay bodyguard Elliot Wilheim. This role was a painful one when you watch it given The Rock had to get past his usual gruff image as developed in the wrestling world and instead position himself as an ambiguously gay character. I'm not a fan of his previous works but I have to admit he did pretty well here and was quite entertaining.

The DVD is a great purchase since it's loaded with a lot of special features like a significant amount of deleted scenes, a gag real and a whole host of other tidbits and featurettes. This is definitely worth your time and money.