Get Shorty (1995)

Get Shorty (1995), an American gangster comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by Scott Frank, is based on Elmore Leonard’s novel of the same name. Ernesto ‘Chili’ Palmer, a loan shark and movie enthusiast from Miami, faces trouble when his leather jacket is taken by rival mobster Ray ‘Bones’ Barboni. In retaliation, Chili retrieves it and breaks Bones’ nose. However, Bones later tries to ambush him at his office, only for Chili to shoot first and graze Bones’ forehead. Despite this, Bones’ boss refuses to seek revenge due to Chili being protected by Brooklyn mob boss Momo. When Momo passes away from a heart attack, Bones takes over his operation and tasks Chili with collecting an outstanding debt from Leo Devoe, who was supposedly killed in a plane crash. However, Chili learns from Leo’s wife Faye that he is actually alive and ran away with the $300,000 settlement meant for her after exiting the plane before takeoff.

After tracking Leo to a casino in Las Vegas, Chili finds himself with another job opportunity. This time, it involves collecting a significant gambling debt from B movie director, Harry Zimm. Spontaneously arriving at Harry’s home in Los Angeles, Chili proposes turning his real-life pursuit of Leo into a potential film idea. Excited by the prospect, Harry convinces Chili to assist him in appeasing his investors, Bo Catlett and Ronnie Wingate, who use their limo business as a front for illegal activities. However, after losing all of their $200,000 investment through gambling, Harry reveals his true plan – to make a movie titled Mr. Lovejoy – and requires $500,000 to purchase the rights from the writer’s widow, Doris. In order to obtain the necessary funds, Chili confronts Leo and uses his money as an investment in the film. This decision leads to Chili’s transformation into a Hollywood producer and prompts him to decline Bo’s suggestion of working together.