BE COOL (*˝)
Ever since PULP FICTION exploded into movie history in 1994, dozens of films have tried to capture its fusion of razor-sharp humor and taut storytelling. GET SHORTY was the one of the first black comedies to successfully reuse its formula. Based on the novel written by Elmore Leonard, the patron saint of lowlife dialogue, it dripped with sardonic wit and pulsed with confident rhythm. At the heart of it all was Chili Palmer, the smooth shylock with the aura of a black panther: quietly intense, deadly, yet reserved.
It was only a matter of time until we got to its sequel, BE COOL. And though Chili has returned, he has been defused, straying in events and interacting with unworthy adversaries that underwhelm his authority. Here is a movie that doesn’t have a clue on how to emulate its predecessor. It thinks it can leave its wildly eccentric characters and clever lines on the screen for us to laugh at. But once our smiles fade, we are left to our own devices. What a bore.
The movie follows Chili as he turns his attention from producing movies to music. The latter trade seems to be more cutthroat than he expected when a Russian gangster (Alex Kubik) executes his close friend and music producer Tommy Athens (James Woods). Since he’s the only one who witnesses the shooting, he becomes embroiled with matters concerning the Russian Mafia, ruthless record mogul Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer), sleazy music managers, the local police, and Uma Thurman.
Though the movie might have been brilliant if it had cast Ms. Thurman as the top villain, it chooses to tamely bill her as Mrs. Tommy Athens (nickname: Edie). She ran the business with her late husband, and is of value to Chili since he discovers a remarkable R&B talent in Linda Moon (Christina Milian). Think of Linda as the key to the film’s resolution, Edie as the catalyst, and Chili as the engine. Now if only could Chili could pry away the key away from its owners Raji (Vince Vaughn) and Nick Carr (Harvey Keitel).
Raji, a poser who likes to act like a black stereotype, and Nick don’t take well to Chili’s insistence on taking Linda, whom they have under contract. They dispatch the thugs in their arsenal, namely bodyguard Elliot Wilhelm (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) and hitman Joe Loop (the late Robert Pastorelli of MURPHY BROWN fame, in his last performance) to take care of him, as Chili finds a way to settle Edie’s debts to LaSalle, plus interest.
The movie’s premise is solid, and clearly a lot more labyrinthine than its forerunner. But director F. Gary Gray botches it. He knows how to handle films that have situations that are dead serious (SET IT OFF, THE NEGOTIATOR, A MAN APART, & THE ITALIAN JOB). But when it comes to the subtle intricacies of wry comedy set in menacing situations, he doesn’t know what to do. The film’s first and second acts lie dead in the water, filled with in-jokes and referential quips that have nothing to return to.
Consider the movie’s opening line where Mr. Travolta comments upon his latest production, “I hate sequels,” when in fact he exists in one. Clever indeed. Or when Mr. Vaughn becomes a one-trick pony, playing a white man with gangsta soul. Or when the movie heralds its much-awaited dance number between Travolta and Thurman, evoking memories of PULP FICTION. But what then? Regardless of funny moments such as The Rock portraying a gay bodyguard, when we know how unlikely that would be, or inside jokes such as his name (start googling), the movie’s underlying story is devoid of danger, tension, or interest to wind up its punch lines. It has a lot of tricks up its sleeve, but no arm to fill it.
Some of its characters did make me laugh quite a bit though. I was skeptical whether he could do more than pull off fanciful action heroes, but The Rock proves here that he can be quite convincing. He doesn’t go overboard with his gay bodyguard role. He holds back, showing feminine nuances (along with his fearless brow) in scenes that elicit some of the movie’s biggest laughs. Cedric the Entertainer is a hoot as Sin LaSalle, supplying a highly enjoyable ball of angry absurdity. Andre “3000” Benjamin (of OutKast) shows good chemistry with the Entertainer, providing a naughty Laurel to Cedric’s Hardy. And it goes without saying that John Travolta and Uma Thurman still sparkle, whether together (especially together) or apart.
But these assets cannot save the film from its inherent problems, and when all of its storylines tie up somewhat amusingly towards the end, it happens too late. When Roger Ebert calls it, “a self-referential movie with no self to refer to,” he is exactly right. It knows it is billed as a comedy and tries hard to be funny, but being is not the same as trying to be. BE COOL tries to be cool, but ends up lukewarm.