It’s not easy to get the tone of Elmore Leonard‘s books translated to the big screen, but 1995’s “Get Shorty” was one of the few times where everything clicked. Ironically, the sequel “Be Cool” showed what happens when you get the material totally wrong. Now, Epix is going to try and make “Get Shorty” work as a TV series, and the first taste has now landed.
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Chris O’Dowd and Ray Romano take the roles of Miles and Rick (the characters were played by John Travolta and Gene Hackman in the film) in this version which moves the action from Miami to Nevada, and centers on Miles Daly, a criminal who decides to get involved in the movie business. Here’s the official synopsis:
Based on Elmore Leonard’s 1990 New York Times bestselling novel, GET SHORTY is the story of Miles Daly, played by Chris O’Dowd, who works as muscle for a murderous crime ring in Nevada and attempts to change professions and become a movie producer, laundering money through a Hollywood film. Three-time Emmy award winner Ray Romano stars as Rick, a washed up producer of low quality films who becomes Miles’ partner and guide through the maze of Hollywood.
Again, it’s all about getting the vibe right, and at least in this trailer, things seem to be going in the right direction. We’ll see how it plays out when the series debuts on August 13th.
