BE COOL

In this sequel to Leonard's hugely popular GET SHORTY, Chili Palmer becomes a moviemaker with one hit and one flop to his credit. BE COOL is the movie of his life--imagined as he lives it. The supporting cast includes the Russian mafia; gangsta rappers; rip-off elements of the record industry; Chili's new friend, Darryl, who is a detective working organized crime; and other fascinating riffraff too numerous to mention. Campbell Scott seems made to read Elmore Leonard, or perhaps Leonard writes to be read by Scott. Either way, Scott's Chili is a perfectly irreverent full-speed-ahead kind of guy. The rappers are take-nothing-from-no-one dudes. The Russians are archetypal Hollywood Slavs. And Darryl sounds about as square as anyone in a Leonard novel ever gets. Scott also does women's voices well, and his regional accents convince. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]