GET SHORTY

Like most people I really enjoyed this film when it came out.  It was a smart idea, combining the world of mobsters with that of Hollywood.  And, as you would expect from a film based on an Elmore Leonard novel, the dialogue was sharp, and the plot intricately constructed.

But for some reason, on a rewatch I couldn't get into it.  I could still admire its qualities but I felt disengaged.

Maybe the problem is that what seemed fresh then feels far less so now.  

Or that John Travolta is the main character, and I'm not a member of the John Travolta Fan Club.

Or that one of my favourite actors Gene Hackman is miscast here as a dim two-bit Hollywood producer.

Or that Danny DeVito is also miscast.

Or that all the business about the money at the airport bored me.

I would have liked a little less mobster action and a bit more satire of the film business.

On the plus side any film with Rene Russo is worth watching.  And we get to see the great James Gandolfini in an early small role.

In terms of Elmore Leonard adaptations though, I much prefer 'Jackie Brown' or 'Out of Sight'.

RATING: ✓ If You've Nothing Better To Do