Travolta comes up 'Shorty' in sequel

Ten years after "Get Shorty" hit theaters comes the unnecessary but intermittently entertaining sequel, "Be Cool." Despite dismissals from numerous critics across the country, "Cool" actually lives up to its name at times. Downfalls come about as the movie is propelled less by plot than a series of vignettes, i.e. the sum of its parts don't add up to a cohesive whole.\nJohn Travolta reprises his role as shylock-turned-movie producer Chili Palmer. Disillusioned with the film biz, Chili opts to throw his hat into the music-managing arena, as the recording industry is comparatively "more honest about its dishonesty." In doing so, he takes fresh-faced diva Linda Moon (the cute as a button Christina Milian) under his wing and partners up with indie label-owning Edie Athens (Uma Thurman), the widow of Chili's late Brooklyn buddy, Tommy (James Woods). As is always the case, there's a snag. Linda's already under contract with the inane girl group Chicks Int., managed by wanksta Raji (the always hilarious Vince Vaughn) and shyster Nick Carr (Harvey Keitel). As such, the men sic Raji's gay, actor wannabe bodyguard, Elliot Wilhelm (The Rock), and ham sandwich-eating, swing-dancing assassin Joe Loop (the late Robert Pastorelli) on Chili. To throw fuel on the fire, Edie's label is in debt to Suge Knight stand-in Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer) and his recording artists/hired muscle the Dub-MDs -- headed up by trigger-happy twerp Dabu (André Benjamin aka André 3000 of OutKast) and a bevy of black bodybuilders. What's more, Chili witnessed Tommy's gangland slaying at the hands of a toupe-topped Russian Mafiaso, so the Russkies are also out for blood.\nWhile the movie and many of its performers often entertain, there's a weird ambiance to the proceedings. Vaughn expertly throws a healthy dose of Vanilla Ice into his patented wiseass shtick. The Rock hysterically cites "Bring It On" and sings Loretta Lynn's "You Ain't Woman Enough." And the usually annoying Cedric the Entertainer bests solid work in "Intolerable Cruelty" and his series of Bud Light ads with a Samuel L. Jackson-esque monologue about black appreciation. However, the film's faults are many. It's often too self-reflexive, i.e. Travolta and Thurman's dance number nod to "Pulp Fiction" and Chili's acknowledgment of the one f-bomb per PG-13 movie quota, to which he says, "Fuck it." The flick is also insanely dated: characters chill at the Viper Room, Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me" is played without irony, etc. Cameos from Danny DeVito, Wyclef Jean, Gene Simmons, Fred Durst, Anna Nicole Smith, The RZA, Seth Green and Aerosmith (Steven Tyler creepily owns up to the notion that the sexually-charged "Sweet Emotion" is a tribute to his daughters) are obvious attempts to fill-in plot gaps. Lastly, much of the humor stems from running gags concerning hairpieces and homosexuality, which places them well within the realm of low-brow.\nDirector F. Gary Gray ("Friday," "The Italian Job") replaces "Shorty" shooter Barry Sonnenfeld on "Cool," and while neither man is a particularly great filmmaker, Sonnenfeld's style better suits the material. The same can be said for screenwriter Peter Steinfeld, whose mob miss "Analyze That" should've made him the last choice for this similarly-themed Elmore Leonard adaptation. "Shorty" scribe Scott Frank is a natural with Dutch's material, as evidenced by the aforementioned picture and "Out of Sight." While "Be Cool" isn't up to snuff with "Sight" or "Jackie Brown" ("Rum Punch" in book form), it's world's better than last year's "The Big Bounce," and therefore lives up to its title halfway.