Get Shorty (1995)

A loan shark and film buff (John Travolta) in Miami is bored with the business. When he arrives in L.A. to collect a debt from a down and out film maker (Gene Hackman), he catches the movie fever and pitches a script idea which the director loves. But he still has to deal with some drug smugglers and an angry mobster (Dennis Farina). Will he survive to make his movie deal? Based on the novel by Elmore Leonard (3:10 TO YUMA) and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (THE ADDAMS FAMILY). A thoroughly enjoyable satire of mobsters and the movie business buoyed by the performances of a top notch cast. Both funny and thrilling, Sonnenfeld drives the narrative forward with assurance and wit. The movie reminds us what a strong screen presence Travolta used to be, here he's the essence of cool and Hackman shows his versatility playing an imbecilic movie producer whose ambition is bigger than his brains. With Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Rene Russo, James Gandolfini, Harvey Keitel, Delroy Lindo and Penny Marshall.