With a title ironically called Be Cool, there's not getting around the fact that the sequel is just not as cool or as fun as Get Shorty. I don't think it has anything to do with Chili deciding to switch up his profession again by shifting from movie producer to record producer as he dives head first into the music business. Personally, I don't think the movie is as bad as most people will have you believe. Sure, if you compare it to Get Shorty, you're going to see a lot wrong with it. But if you watch it as a completely separate movie like I do, it does have some charm working for it. Sure, some of the characters are just way over the top ridiculous like Vince Vaughn doing is 'White-boy Gangsta-rap' jive or Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson overly flamboyant gay bodyguard. But I actually found it funny for some reason.

Missing in action are some key ingredients from the first film like Gene Hackman, Rene Russo and Dennis Farrina. The new cast has some fine players filling in the seats with Uma Thurman, James Woods, Cedric the Entertainer, Christina Milian, Andre 3000, Steven Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith, Debi Mazar, Seth Green, Black Eyed Peas and a cameo from Danny Devito to tie the film into Get Shorty, because without John Travolta playing the lead, it would be totally removed from the first film. I guess you can also include Harvey Keitel as well, but his appearance in both films were different characters. In the first he was playing himself, in Be Cool, he plays another character which kind of makes it's little universe collapse in on itself.

I wasn't expecting much from the movie when I first heard word they were making a sequel. But the one thing that absolutely caught my attention was the reunion between John and Uma. Any fan of Pulp Fiction would definitely ask if they would dance on screen again. They do. Maybe not as cool as their dance in PF, but I liked the new moves they did.

I think the movie definitely warrants a Rent. It's not the greatest movie, but it's certainly not the worst ever. I'll watch it whenever it comes on TV. 3 1/2 Stars out or 5.

Haven't seen this one since it came out-- never really grabbed me like Get Shorty did.  And it's especially lacking that element of surprise and first-time joy that Get Shorty has.

Sequels to comedies-- I just don't think they work, you know?  Cause it's all about that first time mix, you mentioned the first one combining two different genres together, the movie is the chemical reaction, and those aren't interesting the second time.

If it wasn't a sequel, it might be fine.  I dunno, like I said, it's been a while (this was at the START of "The Rock"'s acting career, if you can imagine such a thing).

Whatever happened to Christina Milian?  I was thinking that when I was watching Man Of The House a week or so ago.  Cause rowr (she was a musician first, right?)