Get Shorty is arguably the perfect Hollywood insider story. The gag of gangsters going to Hollywood and discovering movie producers are an even bigger, nastier bunch of crooks is both chuckle-inducing and pretty much entirely accurate. And Elmore Leonard has had a nearly ridiculous batting average in the last few decades: Jackie Brown, 3:10 To Yuma, Out of Sight, and, oh yeah, a show called Justified. Which makes this above trailer all the more interesting.
This is definitely a lot grittier than the original. Chris O’Dowd’s Miles Daly is perhaps more affable than Travolta’s Chili Palmer, but a lot more homicidal. That said, the basic idea clearly remains intact, and O’Dowd’s sheer charm and friendliness makes a pretty hilarious contrast to all the unpleasant things he does, which includes stealing the identity of a screenwriter he murders, from the looks of things. Also interesting is Ray Romano, taking over as the scummy movie producer from Gene Hackman. Romano is best defined by his sitcom, sure, but anybody who’s seen what he’s done since, particularly his hilariously cringe-inducing episode of Maron, knows he’s got a lot of darker stuff in him.
And if there’s any justice, we’ll get that John Stamos cameo. But we’ll find out in August, when this premieres on Epix.
(via Epix)
