Character in Focus: Karen Flores, from "Get Shorty" (1995)

Rene Russo sexy in Get Shorty: a blonde wig and a wonderful wardrobe to fit in the character.
(photo - MGM Pictures)

After 3 years doing action movies (Freejack, Lethal Weapon 3, In the Line of Fire & Outbreak), Rene Russo is back to the comedy genre, now on Get Shorty, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (Men In Black, The Addams Family) in 1995. Ms. Russo would work again with Sonnenfeld in the movie Big Trouble, in 2002. 

Rene plays Karen Flores, a B-list movie actress and also ex-wife of Martin Weir (Danny DeVito, from Matilda). She gets mixed up with the loan shark Chilli Palmer (John Travolta), who discovers he's an ace in the movie business. 

One of Rene's first scenes in Get Shorty was her in a Lakers t-shirt. loooove!
(Photo - MGM Pictures) 

According to Ms. Russo... "She was an observer more than anything, I think, and she got the joke. Even though she was a B actress in scream flicks, I still think she was looking around her, kind of like, 'Oh god.' She was judging it, maybe in a way that I would, where I would roll my eyes at things. I get the joke. I think that's the quality that I gave to her. She didn't miss that much. Even though she was a B actress, I don't think she was desperate to be anything than what she was.

I love John. John is very, very funny. John's fun. He's really, really quirky. He loves to eat. He loves food. He'd always have great food in his trailer. He'd have great chocolates. 'Here, have a chocolate.' I loved working with him."

Rene sexy and chic... ready to impress John Travolta.
(photo - MGM Pictures)

enjoy this post!

loveuguys. 

xoxoxo

ME

Get Shorty (MOVIE REVIEW)

Poster for Get Shorty (1995), directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.
(photo credits - MGM Pictures)

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld. (worked with Rene Russo in Big Trouble later in 2002, but known for Addams' Family, Addams' Family Values & Men in Black trilogy).
Producers: Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg & Stacey Sher.
Written by: Scott Frank.
Main Cast: 

John Travolta ------- Chilli Palmer

Gene Hackman ----- Harry Zimm

Rene Russo -------- Karen Flores

Danny DeVito ------ Martin Weir

Dennis Farina ----- Ray Barboni (Bones)

Bette Midler ------- Doris

Delroy Lindo ----- Bo Catlett

James Gandolfini --- Bear

Linda Hart ----- Faye Devoe

Rene Russo as Karen Flores: so hot and beautiful.
(photo credits - MGM Pictures)

Release Date: October 20,1995  (USA) / March 1, 1996 (Brazil).
Running Time: 105 min.
Budget / Box Office: US$30 million / US$115 million (box office success).

Plot Summary: Chilli Palmer (John Travolta, great in Grease, Pulp Fiction & Hairspray), is a loan shark living in Miami, Florida, who works for Ray Bones (Dennis Farina), and also a violent thug with a big chip on his shoulder. The main character works for Bones since his New York boss died of a sudden heart a attack. 
Ray sends Chili to Vegas after a bad debt, and a casino boss enlists Chili to find an even bigger deadbeat: Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman), Hollywood player and producer of low-budget horror films.

Rene with the Lakers t-shirt, using as her pajamas (lol!). Even though, sooo chic!
(photo - MGM Pictures)

In Tinseltown, Chili meets Harry, as well as his scream- queen leading lady, Karen Flores (Rene Russo); Harry's drug-dealing financier, Bo Catlett (Delroy Lindo); and Karen's ex, Martin Weir (Danny DeVito), a big star with an ego to match. Chili finds his Mafioso skills lend themselves quite nicely to what he's always really wanted to do: producing movies. 

John Travolta and Ms. Russo on scene of Get Shorty: eye to eye.
(photo - MGM Pictures)

Fun Facts about the movie:

• Based on a book by Elmore Leonard. Leonard said that it's the best film adapted from its books.
• When Rene Russo first met with Barry Sonnenfeld and Danny DeVito at a restaurant, she had an allergic reaction to the sesame in her tuna sandwich. She broke out in hives and had to go the doctor, sure she hadn't gotten the part. Sonnenfeld felt sympathetic, and assured her the role of Karen Flores.
• Danny DeVito was the first choice of Chilli Palmer, because of his charisma, but due to schedule conflicts, he've ended up the smaller role of Martin Weir.
• Rene Russo and Delroy Lindo would work again later, in Ransom (1996). Rene was Kate, and Delroy, Lonnie.

Critical Response:

• IMDB: 6,9/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 87% (fresh; 52 reviews).
• CinemaScore : A (A+ to F).
• Metascore: 82/100.

Awards/Nominations:
John Travolta won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Musical or Comedy.
And also the movie received a nomination for Golden Globe Award for Best Movie - Musical or Comedy and SAG Awards for Best Cast.

Next week, on Character on Focus, I'll talk about Karen Flores, Rene's character in Get Shorty...

Enjoy this post.
loveuguys.
xoxoxo
ME