Be Cool

Be Cool is a 2005 sequel to the novel Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard, which inspired a movie of the same name, about mobster Chili Palmer's entrance to the movie industry. Be Cool, which also inspired a movie adaptation, is about Chili Palmer's entry into the music industry.

Plot

Chili Palmer (Travolta) sick of film making enters the music industry when his friend, Tommy Athens (Woods) and owner of a record company, is executed by a Russian mobster, which Chili witnesses. Chili uses the opportunity to help his friend's widow, Edie Athens (Thurman), manage the failing business, which owes $300,000 to the band Dub.M.D's led by Dabu (Andrê Benjamin), and gangster mogule Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer). Chili enters the music industry on the talents of a female entertainer, Linda Moon (Milian). Moon convinces Chili to take on her cause, getting out of a contractual obligations to Nick Carr (Keitel) and Raji (Vaughn), who has a gay bodyguard named Eliot (played by The Rock). Carr and Raji take great exception to Chili's cause, and hire a hitman, Joe Loop (Robert Postorelli) to "off" Chili. In the mean time, Chili convinces Edie to produce Moon hoping to resurrect Athens' failing record company, through a live performance with Aerosmith and Steven Tyler.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The movie follows the downfall of each of these unscrupulous enemies of Chili. Sin LaSalle begins by threatening Chili and Edie for payment of the $300,000; but Chili and Edie convince Sin to give them a few days to get the money. When the Russians attempt to kill Chili, Joe Loop mistakenly kills the Russian hit man. Raji then hits the hitman (Joe Loop) out of frustration. Carr angers the Russian mobsters who make an untimely visit to Carr's office while Sin LaSalle is there. Insulted by the Russian mob boss LaSalle kills him. In the mean time, Raji sends Eliot to kill Chili. However, Chili, in cool fashion, befriends the gay man. When Carr threatens Chili, Chili slyly sends him to the hands of the police. Finally when Raji and Eliot threaten Chili, Chili again befriends Eliot, who turns on Raji in defense of Chili.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During all of this befuddling Chili manages to squeeze in a dance scene with Evie (the awaited Travolta-Thurman reunion from Pulp Fiction), and Moon gets her debut with Aerosmith. In the end LaSalle becomes the producer for Moon, and they all live happily ever after.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~