From left: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Steven Tyler in "Be Cool."

Absolutely love the t-shirts Uma Thurman's "Edie" wears in "Be Cool," including this one, "mourning" and another that reads, in goth print, "widow." (Edie's husband, played by James Woods, is hit by the Russian mob at an L.A. cafe, early in the film.) Apparently, Thurman suggested the shirts that her record company-owner character wears, but are never discussed. Now that's cool.


Trying to "Be Cool "

As for the film itself, it’s most vibrantly funny when Vince Vaughn and Cedric the Entertainer are on-screen. Vaughn is hilariously, wholly un-selfconscious in his portrayal of Raji, a wanna-be hipster miscreant and partner to the more hooked-up and experienced cel-phone addicted Nick Carr (Harvey Keitel).

Right from the start, the film keeps it metaphorical tongue firmly in cheek, as Chili Palmer (John Travolta, who lumbers through the film) disavows sequels. His character, a shylock turned movie producer isn’t thrilled about making a follow-up to his hit film, and he laments and proselytizes to James Woods’ Tommy Athens, a shady indie-label owner, right before the latter is gunned-down at an outdoor café.

While Uma Thurman (as anyone would attest) – as Woods’ widow Edie -- is not without many charms, Rene Russo was better balance to Travolta in the original film, “Get Shorty” (the faux film sequel is called “Get Lost”), and Russo's presence is missed.

There’s a notably contrived romance cooked up between Travolta and Thurman, who surprisingly have little chemistry here (yes, we know they had it in "Pulp Fiction.")

The film bases its premise on the tremendous leap of faith audiences must make into believing that an aspiring pop singer (pretty Christina Milan) is the second-coming of Ashanti. Meaning, that each time she performs, everyone is transfixed by her magical quality the filmmaker so very much want the audience to embrace. The music throughout the film is equally uninspiring. Look for plenty of obvious "Sidekick" product placement.

Palmer decides he wants to move from the movie business into the music business and begins by repping Linda Moon (Milan), who’s actually in a vise-like contract with Nick and Raji. Throw in the Russian mob, a murderous rap band (headed by Cedric’s “Sin LaSalle), and you have everyone after the other.

Instead of Dennis Farina, “Be Cool” has the late Robert Pastorelli as Joe Loop, but the idea is still the same. The Rock, as Raji’s gay, aspiring-actor bodyguard, offers up a fun performance, too, but why the filmmakers decided to call attention to his very, very tired one-eyebrow raised schtick is anyone’s guess.

That said, there are plenty, plenty of laughs, but mostly because of the sharp performances by Vaugh and Cedric the Entertainer, but it unfortunately pales in comparison to the original.


(BeansTalk had an "only in L.A." experience watching the film at The Bridge at the Howard Hughes Center: at one point in the film, Sin's guys hang Raji upside down out the window -- and he's being hung from the building directly across the street from The Bridge.)