I don't really feel like digging up my review from when I double-featured this with Striptease a few months ago (which really emphasized what works and what doesn't work in those two flicks), but I can remember really digging what an active character Chili Palmer was- he has a concrete want (to get a new career) and a concrete need (get the money) and everything he does pushes towards those two goals.  And he's so smooth that he can handle everything that gets thrown in his way, the "cadillac of minivans" is the perfect example of him just OWNING his surroundings (something he explains to Danny DeVito's character).