Get Shorty (1995)

Get Shorty is a sharp, fast-moving dark comedy that follows Miami loan shark Chili Palmer when a debt-collection job sends him to Hollywood — a world he soon finds eerily familiar to his own. Chili‘s street smarts and cool confidence win him entry into the movie business: he meets a struggling producer, a scream‑queen actress, a shady financier, and a temperamental star, and discovers that turning crime into cinema might be easier (and more fun) than he expected. Watching the film you’ll get equal parts caper and satire: witty, often deadpan humor alongside tense criminal dealings. The tone flips smoothly between playful industry lampooning and pulpy underworld suspense, with brisk pacing and clever dialogue that keeps momentum high. Expect a fish‑out‑of‑water story that becomes a story about reinvention — thrilling when plans go sideways, funny when mob logic is applied to show business, and oddly satisfying as Chili finds his true calling. Overall it’s an entertaining blend of crime thriller and Hollywood satire — stylish, laugh‑out‑loud clever at times, and tense at others — that leaves you amused by how similar the streets and the studios can feel.

Actors: Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Runtime: 105 min

Genres: Comedy, Crime, Thriller

6.0 /10 81 /100 6.9 /10 7.0 /10