Get Shorty (Special Edition)
April 2005 Reviewed by: Anthony Di Marco Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Being cool isn’t something you can fake. Those who pretend to be cool are desperate individuals who have an eroded sense of self. They are lost souls. Gangster Chili Palmer personifies what being cool is all about. John Travolta’s character is secure, honest and passionately loyal. He is cool because he has what every human strives for and rarely attains: absolute self-confidence and unflinching honesty.

This movie’s Hollywood is full of desperate individuals who act cool, yet do not have the depth of character to carry it off. Producer Harry Zimm, drug dealer Bo Catlett, wise guy Ray "Bones" Barboni, and superstar Martin Weir all fall into this category. They need to manipulate and lie to people to get what they want, while Chili Palmer just tells it like it is. Only B-actress Karen Flores and washed-up stuntman "Bear" have the capacity to be cool. All they need is some guidance, and by the end of the film they are on the train to cool-town.

It’s nice to see Get Shorty get some first-class attention a decade after it hit theaters. This allegory about a gangster taking on Hollywood is the perfect comedy. The A-list complement of actors delivers top-notch performances, while Barry Sonnenfeld, once cinematographer for the Cohen Brothers (Raising Arizona, Blood Simple), keeps the narrative tight and the pace quick. Director Sonnenfeld leaves the acting and story to his superb cast and Scott Frank’s excellent adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s book. Every joke hits its mark, and Travolta proves again that his star status is well earned. His Palmer is memorable and infinitely likeable.

The DVD presentation is wonderful as well. The clean, high-definition video transfer highlights the brightly lit Beverly Hills locales and the multitudes of beautiful people. Skin tone is pristine, while the deep blacks of Chili’s Mafioso get-up are richly resolved. This film is not about showy, in-your-face visuals. It is a reference disc for how beautiful a character-driven film can look. The audio is competent and clean. The spectacular soundtrack by John Lurie is groovy and hip without being self-conscious. It fits the movie like Chili’s suit fits him. I didn’t hear much difference between the DTS and Dolby Digital tracks. Both are good.

Extras are of the retrospective variety. In the past I’ve found this approach to produce very honest and entertaining results. It is amazing what a lack of marketing pressure affords. Unfortunately, I found this cast’s recollection of the past more about politicking than nostalgia. Only Danny De Vito saves the interviews from being a complete bore. The diminutive actor offers a refreshing modicum of child-like goofiness. Unlike his screen persona, Martin Weir, De Vito is all about being cool.

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