Be Cool

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Be Cool

PG-13

2005

1h 59m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

29%

Tomatometer

167 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

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

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Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

One of the cuddliest, cutest movies you'll ever see about mobsters and murderers.

Mar 7, 2005

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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Chris K

If you take this movie for what it's meant to be it's a 10/10. Epically cast and the right balance of humour and thuggery.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/28/25

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Brian G

Excellent! It achieves just the right balance of sharp-edged comedy with thuggish violence. Every one of the actors is perfectly well cast, particularly Vince Vaughan, Harvey Keitel, The Rock, and Uma Thurman.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/23/25

Full Review

Corey J

Despite a lot of critiques I love this movie. It's hilarious with over-the-top performances from Vince Vaughn, the Rock, Andre 3000 along with quality performances out of John Travolta, Cedric the Entertainer, Uma Thurman, and Harvey Keitel. It's just a lot of fun with constant laughs.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/18/25

Full Review

Pedro Henrique C

Be Cool (2005) It's a film that has its ups and downs, the story has several elements that make it very confusing to follow. The cast is a great asset to this adventure.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/11/25

Full Review

Jim E

A fun comedy with good music and a great cast!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/09/25

Full Review

Josh B

The people who rated this in 2005, were literally so out of touch they gave this 30%. James Woods is in the opening sequence selling the movie. This is why movie ratings shouldn’t be left to average people. They’re bad critics, there’s an all star cast and it wasn’t a flop.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/07/25

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 - 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

Be Cool: Official Clip - The "F" Word Once

1:17

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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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