Get Shorty

Name: Get Shorty
Genre: Thriller, Comedy, Crime
Released: October 25, 1995
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 81
Cast: Danny DeVito, Gene Hackman, John Travolta, Rene Russo

1995

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Universal acclaim based on 22 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 165 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 165 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) | Release Date: October 25, 1995 | R

Starring: Danny DeVito, Gene Hackman, John Travolta, Rene Russo

Summary: Chili Palmer (John Travolta) is a Miami loan shark who's sent to Los Angeles to collect on a gambling debt from film producer Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman). Chili soon discovers that loansharking was the perfect training ground for making movies...though you have to be ruthless to make it in Hollywood. [MGM]

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Genre(s): Thriller, Comedy, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 105 min

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Critic Reviews

Peter Travers

One of the best movies of the year and by far the most entertaining. Read full review

David Ansen

Barry Sonnenfeld's bouncy, immensely likable adaptation. Read full review

Desson Thomson

In Get Shorty, director Barry Sonnenfeld's spirited adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel, Travolta's rebirth accelerates directly into adulthood. Read full review

Janet Maslin

The author's sardonic voice has been lost in most films based on his fiction, but this one nicely captures that unruffled Leonard authority. And since Get Shorty is about Hollywood, it invites the sneaky self-mockery that gives this film its comic punch. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

An entertaining comedy-thriller directed with bounce (if not much nuance) by Barry Sonnenfeld. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

The film is wickedly hilarious but more in a droll and knowing kind of sense than a har-de-har-har manner. Read full review

Mr. Showbiz F. X. Feeney

A smirky black comedy that, like its John Lurie score, is jazzy, dry, and light on its feet.

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User Reviews

Holographic

Jan 23, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When people in West Hollywood first saw the billboard with Danny DeVito dressed up as Napoléon Bonaparte credited with Martin Weir's name, they thought it was a real one, and DeVito might have changed his name. The film crew had to explain to residents it was just a prop in DeVito's latest movie… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

Impugn

Jan 11, 2020

Get Shorty is hilarious & is one of Travolta's finest movies. The movie hits the nail on the head in its depiction of the hollywood system and the crime scenes mesh well with the hollywood plot.

6 of 7 users found this helpful61

StevenF

Jul 26, 2013

A busy and bustling cast of top Hollywood stars fill up the screen in Get Shorty, a smart and hilarious gangster show that promotes some shrewd moments and larger than life characters, with John Travolta leading the pack as Chili Palmer, a loan shark is goes in and out of various mobsters asA busy and bustling cast of top Hollywood stars fill up the screen in Get Shorty, a smart and hilarious gangster show that promotes some shrewd moments and larger than life characters, with John Travolta leading the pack as Chili Palmer, a loan shark is goes in and out of various mobsters as he is tasked with receiving payment from a nervous movie producer, Harry (Gene Hackman).
The two immediately form quite the unsteady companionship, and Chili sees first hand how the movie business works, and it isn't that much different from what he does. The film introduces these characters who are given plenty of screen time to develop very versatile and interesting characters. They each develop quite the personality and have often hilarious conversations, particularly Travolta and Hackman, who make quite the unorthodox duo as they attempt to rid themselves of the man on their back looking payment.
Where the film truly succeeds is its sense of knowing, it has fun doing what its doing, and the whole basis of the film within a film plays out very well, which is accompanied by a smart script that uses its surroundings to its advantage, leading us to feel sympathy for the rich and famous with LA as its backdrop.
As you can tell, this is very much a character centric film, with a large cast also including Danny DeVito, Rene Russo, Bette Midler and James Gandolfini to name a few, they each bring something fresh, funny and unique to their roles, while they all also mix it up with Chili.
A carefully crafted script has ensured that Barry Sonnenfeld can direct in a comedic fashion, but also to drive these characters who it sometimes seems do role swaps, we expect certain things from Chili when he is confronted unknowingly, but our expectations are completely turned on their head, we are shown exactly what things are and what words mean, not for reasons to pull the viewer in, but for a sense that in many films of the same genre, nothing is explained, and Get Shorty parodies and pokes fun at that for their trouble.
Certainly one of the finest films of its time, full of humour and interesting characters, but most importantly, the film makes these characters matter.… Expand

9 of 9 users found this helpful90

EpicLadySponge

Apr 7, 2016

Get Shorty reminds me of those days when movies were just plain simple to make. No matter loved or hated, they were so simple. Get Shorty is one of those best simple movies ever made.

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

DawdlingPoet

Nov 25, 2021

I thought that this was quite a slick movie, one that fans of the genre should enjoy quite considerably. John Travolta is a good choice to play the main character of Chili, showing the same bravado and charm as that seen in Pulp Fiction, released only a few years before this movie (the movieI thought that this was quite a slick movie, one that fans of the genre should enjoy quite considerably. John Travolta is a good choice to play the main character of Chili, showing the same bravado and charm as that seen in Pulp Fiction, released only a few years before this movie (the movie dates from 1995). The cast is quite good with other a-list (or thereabouts) actors including Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito and James Gandolfini.

The comedy is of course quite dark and subtle at times but I thought that it seemed to be quite a well written story, which had a pretty good twist towards the end. There are alot of nicknames to get used to of course, with the main character Chili Palmer and then there are characters such as Bones, Bo and Bear (I guess the writer was keen on the letter B(?!).

The story seemed a little confusing to me (and im seriously no expert in gangster/mob based movies or shows at all) at the start, as the viewer is given a rather quick and somewhat rushed explanation of whats going on, so as to set the scene, although more is revealed as the movie continues but it did seem confusing to me to start with, however it was worth sticking with I thought and I liked how it mixed the movie business with the mob business, with, as I say, an interesting ending.

There is, of course, a pretty liberal amount of strong language and some violence present, given the type of movie this is, the 15 rating is well deserved I feel, so be aware of that incase any youngsters may be around when watching this, as if that isn't too obvious anyway but I thought I may as well mention it to clarify the point.

All in all, it felt like quite a well made movie with a decent cast and an interesting story. This genre isn't one that normally appeals all that much to me but I had decided to give the film a shot because I had heard of it, I knew it was quite popular and did well when it came out, so I thought I'd try it and I found that I did enjoy it more than other such films, which I can only really put down to the story being more interesting, particularly the idea of mixing mob life with the Hollywood film business. I'm not really sure what else I could add about this movie inparticular but I did think it was quite well made and I feel it was worth watching.

The cast provide decent enough performances and the story is interesting, I found it pretty entertaining and as somebody who isn't particularly 'into' mob/gangster movies, I can only presume that fans of the genre would enjoy it even more, so yes, of course I would recommend it.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

Spangle

Apr 17, 2016

Overall, Get Shorty is a pretty fun and entertaining crime comedy/thriller. John Travolta turns in a truly cool and calculated performance as this loan shark turned wannabe Hollywood producer. He really makes this role his own. Additionally, it is well-written and the plot is compelling. IOverall, Get Shorty is a pretty fun and entertaining crime comedy/thriller. John Travolta turns in a truly cool and calculated performance as this loan shark turned wannabe Hollywood producer. He really makes this role his own. Additionally, it is well-written and the plot is compelling. I never found it overly funny, but this was not a major problem in and of itself. The main detraction here has to be how truly generic the film is. From beginning to end, it is completely derivative of every film about Hollywood and/or crime that came before. This is obviously not ideal and it leaves you feeling as if you had seen this movie dozens of times before. That said, it is a fun film with very well developed characters, good pacing, and strong writing. Overall, Get Shorty works as both a satire of the crime genre and on its own as a crime film.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

Kai82

Mar 22, 2020

Do you know the case of good or great movies that are universally praised but you dislike them? This is the case for me. I see the quality in everything but it could not win me over. I don't even know why. The story has potential, there are great actors with John Travolta, Gene Hackman, ReneDo you know the case of good or great movies that are universally praised but you dislike them? This is the case for me. I see the quality in everything but it could not win me over. I don't even know why. The story has potential, there are great actors with John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo and Danny DeVito. I cant even find any flaws here. Also the humor and side blows to the movie business are well done. It was nothing for me as all I remember from watching this in cinema was boredom. You don't need to lecture me on my opinion because I already admit that this is a good movie for others as I see the quality here. It is like an exotic food you taste. Some like it and others hate it. Overall a good movie but not for me. Might sound crazy but I will give a recommendation for watching it.… Expand

0 of 7 users found this helpful07

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14	#14 Best Movie of 1995
42	#42 Most Discussed Movie of 1995
31	#31 Most Shared Movie of 1995