Additional Information about Get Shorty (DVD, 2009, Standard and Letterbox) Portions of this page Copyright 1981 - 2012 Muze Inc. All rights reserved. This slick adaptation of Elmore Leonard's 1990 novel features John Travolta as Chili Palmer, a Miami loan shark who's been sent to L.A. to collect on a bad debt from trash movie producer Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman), the maker of the stunning flops "Grotesque" and "Slime People." But this is Harry's lucky day, because Chili is also a film buff, and when he's done talking tough he starts pitching Harry a script idea. As everyone knows, the best background for the motion picture industry is the criminal underworld, and Chili is smoothly launched into the life of a producer: romancing a B-movie scream queen, schmoozing superstars, getting reservations in the hottest restaurants in town. However, Chili's not the only mobster wanting to turn producer. It seems that a thug named Bo Catlett (Delroy Lindo), another of Harry's lenders, also wants a piece of the action. Add in a group of angry drug smugglers and there is an abundance of double- and triple-crosses, as well as plenty of wisecracks and Hollywood insider jokes. GET SHORTY crosses the line of life imitating art--and vice versa--many times, including the real Ernest "Chili" Palmer (on whom the character is based) playing a Mafia henchman. Barry Sonnenfeld's entertaining romp is a wild look at the celebrity life in Hollywood, featuring numerous cameos of stars playing themselves. Product DetailsEdition: Standard and LetterboxNumber of Discs: 1Rating: R (MPAA)Film Country: USAUPC: 027616603692Additional DetailsGenre:ComediesFormat:DVDRegion:Region 1Display Format:Standard and Letterbox"...Elmore Leonard's deliciously profane dialogue gives a great cast, led by John Travolta, a feast to dine upon....GET SHORTY gets it wonderfully right..." Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (11/02/1995) "...GET SHORTY is certainly entertaining..." Sight and Sound - John Wrathall (03/01/1996) "...Sizzling supporting performances by Dennis Farina and Delroy Lindo....[Travolta] oozes cool without breaking a sweat..." -- 3 out of 4 stars USA Today - Mike Clark (10/20/1995) "...All the elements finally jelled, goosed by a terrific John Travolta performance..." -- Rating: A- Entertainment Weekly - Ty Burr (05/31/1996) "...GET SHORTY is good, sly fun. With John Travolta putting on a dazzling demonstration of what being a movie star is all about..." Variety - Todd McCarthy (10/09/1995) "...The film does a good job with the book's gentle digs at the inane way the movie business tends to function..." Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan (10/20/1995) "...A small jewel..." Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (10/20/1995) "[A] faithful adaptation of Elmore Leonard for a change....Memorable." Uncut - Brian Case (04/01/2005) 4 stars out of 5 -- "Barry Sonnenfeld's GET SHORTY film is arguably the most satisfying incarnation of any of Leonard's stories and instigated a renewed appreciation for his work..." Total Film - Neil Smith (05/01/2012)