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A review by book_concierge
Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard
3.0
Adapted from the book jacket: A novel that proves the successful crook has all the job skills required to make it in Hollywood. The book follows Chili Palmer, a Miami loan shark with a talent for making a slow pay come across by saying just three words. Chili’s pursuit of a mark who’s behind in his payments takes him first to Las Vegas, and then to Hollywood and horror-film producer Harry Zimm.
My reactions
This was just plain fun. I’d never seen the movie (starring John Travolta as Chili, and Gene Hackman as Harry), so had no real idea what to expect, other than a wild ride. And Leonard definitely delivers on the “wild ride” promise.
There are more subplots that you can shake a stick at, and more than a few obstacles / distractions for Chili to handle. There’s also a slow-burning romantic interest in Harry’s ex, Karen Flores, known for her excellent screaming in some of Harry’s horror spectaculars, and a woman with brains and a cool head in a crisis.
Odd coincidence … I was getting ready for bed, brushing my teeth, when I heard the TV that my husband had on in the bedroom. “Harry Zimm” Well, of course it was the movie … I only caught the last 30 minutes or so of it, but I can see why it was such a hit.
My reactions
This was just plain fun. I’d never seen the movie (starring John Travolta as Chili, and Gene Hackman as Harry), so had no real idea what to expect, other than a wild ride. And Leonard definitely delivers on the “wild ride” promise.
There are more subplots that you can shake a stick at, and more than a few obstacles / distractions for Chili to handle. There’s also a slow-burning romantic interest in Harry’s ex, Karen Flores, known for her excellent screaming in some of Harry’s horror spectaculars, and a woman with brains and a cool head in a crisis.
Odd coincidence … I was getting ready for bed, brushing my teeth, when I heard the TV that my husband had on in the bedroom. “Harry Zimm” Well, of course it was the movie … I only caught the last 30 minutes or so of it, but I can see why it was such a hit.