Be Cool 2005

In this cinematic tale, Chili Palmer (John Travolta) embarks on a mission to revitalize the music industry by teaming up with Edie Athens (Uma Thurman), the widow of Tommy Athens (James Woods). Their plan hinges on the talents of young songstress Linda Moon (Christina Milian), whose remarkable voice and songwriting skills hold the key to their success. However, this endeavor is fraught with complexities, as Chili’s involvement in a loan-sharking scheme and his own film production company creates a web of ownership and control that ensnares all parties involved.

Meanwhile, Chili finds himself entangled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the Russian Mafia, led by Roman Bulkin (Alex Kubik), who seek to eliminate him for witnessing Tommy’s execution. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that Athens’ record company owes a substantial amount to Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer), a ruthless gangster and producer.

As Chili navigates this treacherous landscape, he must also contend with his own disdain for sequels and his passion for filmmaking. His friend Tommy’s untimely demise at the hands of a Russian assassin sends Chili on a quest for justice and retribution. The plot thickens when Edie convinces him to take on Linda’s cause, freeing her from the clutches of Nick Carr (Harvey Keitel) and Raji (Vince Vaughn), who have been exploiting her talents.

Linda reveals that she was lured to the city with promises of stardom by these unscrupulous individuals, only to find herself trapped in a contract with crippling terms. With five years remaining on her deal, Linda is desperate to break free and reclaim her artistic autonomy. Chili’s efforts to extricate her from this predicament lead him into a confrontation with Raji, who dispatches his loyal gay Samoan bodyguard, Elliott (The Rock), to eliminate Chili.

However, in a surprising turn of events, Chili forms an unlikely bond with Elliott, recognizing the young man’s potential as an aspiring actor. As they navigate the treacherous landscape together, they find common ground and a shared desire for success and redemption.

As Chili seeks a fresh start, he seizes the opportunity to revitalize his friend’s struggling business by lending a helping hand to Edie Athens. The venture, however, comes with a hefty price tag of $300,000 owed to Sin LaSalle, a prominent hip hop producer, and Chili concocts a plan to breathe new life into the floundering record company. He convinces Edie to take a chance on Linda Moon, a talented female entertainer, and envisions a live performance with rock legends Aerosmith and Steven Tyler as the perfect platform to launch Moon’s debut album.

Meanwhile, Chili discovers that Tommy’s office has been visited by a mysterious Russian assassin, disguised in a toupee, who is searching for his old acquaintance. This discovery prompts Chili to intervene in Edie’s business dealings, much to the dismay of Carr and Raji, who seek to maintain their grip on the struggling company. They hire Joe “Loop” Lupino, a ruthless hitman, to eliminate Chili.

As tensions escalate, LaSalle, the manager of Dub MDs, threatens Chili and Edie for non-payment of the $300,000 debt, but they manage to negotiate an extension, assuring him that they will settle the account plus interest. When the Russian mob targets Chili, Joe Loop mistakenly kills Ivan Argianiyev, a high-ranking hitman, thinking he is the intended target. In a subsequent confrontation, Raji brutalizes Loop with a baseball bat after Loop disrespects him by requesting additional payment for another hit on Chili.

Raji’s determination to protect Linda Moon from Chili’s influence becomes apparent, and the two engage in a heated standoff over her contract. After convincing Linda to leave Carr and his girl group, Chili confronts Carr at his home, pointing out that he has secured a record deal for her within just three days of meeting her.

As Chili delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding Tommy’s death, he uncovers a shocking truth: Roman, the assassin responsible for Tommy’s demise, is under close surveillance by federal authorities. Confronting Roman at his shop, Chili issues a stern warning, demanding that he leave Edie alone and threatening to expose Roman’s involvement in Ivan’s assassination attempt on him.

As Chili escorts Edie (Edie) to a thrilling basketball game where they score seats right next to the iconic Steven Tyler, Edie’s nerves are tested as she fears her past as an Aerosmith groupie will go unnoticed by the rock legend. However, Steven warmly recalls Edie’s eccentric habit of infusing Lavender water into their attire and is struck by Linda’s eerie voice recording, prompting him to offer his concert stage as a launchpad for her music. Meanwhile, Elliot (actor name) has been anxiously awaiting Chili’s call regarding the audition, only to be met with silence. His frustration boils over when he confronts Chili at home, brandishing the same baseball bat used by Raji in the murder of Loop. Chili soothes Elliot’s worries and tasks him with refining his monologue routine for upcoming auditions, alleviating Elliot’s concerns that Chili will follow through on his promise.

As Carr becomes increasingly paranoid about Chili being pursued by the Russians, he discovers from Elliot that Chili was spotted outside Roman Bulkin’s pawnshop, a hub of activity controlled by the Russian mob boss. In a desperate bid to eliminate Chili, Carr strikes a deal with Roman, agreeing to have him taken out. Under the guise of retrieving Linda’s contract, which is supposedly stored at the pawn shop owned by the Russians, Carr hands Chili a pawn ticket, unaware that this is merely a setup designed to get Chili killed.

Chili, however, is not fooled and shares the information with Nick, revealing Raji’s culpability in Loop’s murder. Nick takes aim at Raji, while Raji retaliates by informing LaSalle (Sin) that Chili intends to purchase Linda’s contract from Nick for a staggering $300,000. Armed with this intel, Chili passes the pawn ticket to Edie, who then turns it over to the authorities.

In a clever move, the police visit the Russians instead of Chili, catching them off guard and setting Bulkin and his crew on a collision course with Carr’s office, where Sin LaSalle and the Dub MDs are in attendance. LaSalle takes umbrage at Bulkin’s racist remarks and exacts revenge by ending his life. When Carr threatens to harm Chili once more, Chili sends him packing with yet another pawn ticket.

As Raji and Elliot conspire against Chili, he seizes the opportunity to rekindle his friendship with Elliot, who eventually turns on Raji after discovering that Chili had secured him an audition for a film – only to have Raji erase all evidence of this development from his answering machine. In a fittingly dramatic conclusion, Raji meets his demise in a blaze of glory as flames engulf him during a live camera broadcast. The law finally catches up with Carr, arresting him on murder charges after finding the very same baseball bat used to kill Joe Loop in his possession.

As the whirlwind of chaos settles, Chili seizes the moment to bust a move with Edie, reprising their iconic “Twist Contest” chemistry from Pulp Fiction. Meanwhile, Moon takes center stage, making her debut with Aerosmith in a thrilling musical performance that electrifies the audience. But the real power play comes when LaSalle steps up as producer for Moon’s album video, solidifying his role as a force to be reckoned with behind the scenes.

The excitement reaches its crescendo at the MTV Video Music Awards, where Linda takes home the top honors for best new artist and video of the year. As she accepts her awards, she graciously thanks Edie, Sin, and Chili, acknowledging their contributions to her meteoric rise. Following the ceremony, Edie and Chili make a discreet exit, disappearing into the night.

As Chili drives away from the festivities, he’s confronted with a jarring revelation: a massive billboard announcing that Elliot is co-starring in a new film alongside none other than Kidman. The shocking discovery leaves him feeling stunned and disoriented, struggling to process the unexpected turn of events as the city lights blur by in his rearview mirror.