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Be Cool

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Be Cool

PG-13

Released Mar 4, 2005

1h 59m

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

30%

Tomatometer

168 Reviews

42%

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100,000+ Ratings

Having made the transition from gangster to movie producer, Chili Palmer (John Travolta) is ready for the next big move. Setting his sights on the music industry, Palmer enters a precarious business that has more than just temperamental musicians: Russian mobsters, rival producers and hit men are out to bring him down. From witnessing the murder of his friend (James Woods) to romancing a music executive's widow (Uma Thurman), it seems as though it might all fall apart, but Palmer has his ways.

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Critics Consensus

Be Cool is tepid, square, and lukewarm; as a parody of the music business, it has two left feet.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Watered-down sequel isn't meant for kids.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 30, 2010

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

I was really glad when it was over.

Apr 6, 2010

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 2/5

Apr 1, 2006

Full Review

Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

Boasting a smorgasbord of Hollywood talent, Be Cool is a rather tepid comedy with just enough charm to be passable.

Nov 18, 2019

Full Review

James Plath

Movie Metropolis

Be Cool isn't the biting satire that Get Shorty was. It's lighter, hipper, and, yes, more fun.

Rated: 7/10

Feb 11, 2012

Full Review

Joshua Starnes

ComingSoon.net

Be Cool sounds like it should be good, or at least entertaining, but it's neither. It does have some genuinely fun moments, but lacks a strong narrative to hang them off of. The result is empty, full of contrivances, and ultimately unsatisfying.

Rated: 5/10

Jan 7, 2011

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Andreas J

So, they decided to take good actors, great actors. And the trendy musicians of the 2000s that are now completely dead, and no one really liked, AND AEROSMITH.. And mash it into a terrible mess of sponsorship, featuring Samsung, Honda, Tmobile, etc etc.... this is like Men in Black 2 but its actually terrible.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

04/30/25

Full Review

Frans B

Fun at times, a bit exciting and some action. Great cast but somehow fails to impress much. The big names does give it some pizzazz though

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/27/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é mais ou menos, o filme trouxe um elenco muito bom, para um filme que tem partes de ação e com musica, e isso não funcionou muito nesse filme.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/15/25

Full Review

Kevan G

I loved it when I was 12. The Rocks best movie yet......

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/11/24

Full Review

Kevin M

Read Elmore Leonard's book. This is a poor adaptation

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/19/24

Full Review

Bojank R

Classic cast, problematic at times, but Travolta is playing a hip-hop connoisseur named ‘Chili'. Phile

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/16/23

Full Review

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F. Gary Gray

Director

John Travolta

Chili Palmer

Uma Thurman

Edie Athens

Vince Vaughn

Raji

Cedric the Entertainer

Sinclair "Sin" Russell

André Benjamin

Dabu

Be Cool: Official Clip - Plus the Vig

3:26

Be Cool: Official Clip - The Raised Eyebrow Look

3:19

Be Cool: Official Clip - Twinkle, Twinkle, Baby

1:35

Be Cool: Official Clip - Raji At Bat

2:13

Be Cool: Official Clip - Pawnshop Punch-Out

1:47

Be Cool: Official Clip - Raji on Fire

1:41

Be Cool: Official Clip - Racial Epithets

2:20

Be Cool: Official Clip - That's Not Gangsta

2:13

Be Cool: Official Clip - Bring It On Monologue

3:17

Be Cool: Official Clip - Sin's Spatula

1:33

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Synopsis

Having made the transition from gangster to movie producer, Chili Palmer (John Travolta) is ready for the next big move. Setting his sights on the music industry, Palmer enters a precarious business that has more than just temperamental musicians: Russian mobsters, rival producers and hit men are out to bring him down. From witnessing the murder of his friend (James Woods) to romancing a music executive's widow (Uma Thurman), it seems as though it might all fall apart, but Palmer has his ways.

Director: F. Gary Gray
Producer: Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, David Nicksay
Screenwriter: Peter Steinfeld, Elmore Leonard
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Jersey Films, Double Feature Films, Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: PG-13 (Sensuality|Language|Sexual References|Violence)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 4, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $55.8M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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