Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Book-inspired crime comedy series is violent but entertains.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Get Shorty
What's the Story?
Inspired by Elmore Leonard's best-selling novel of the same name, the Epix series GET SHORTY follows Miles Daly (played by Chris O'Dowd), who's looking for something more in life than working for a Nevada crime ring. Daly, along with Louis Darnell (Sean Bridgers), is the the muscle for a group of violent gangsters headed up by casino owner Amara de Escalones (Lidia Porto) and her nephew, Yago (Goya Robles). After unexpectedly coming across a script, he cooks up a money laundering scheme that will allow him to produce a film with washed-up Hollywood producer Rick Moreweather (Ray Romano). It's complicated and dangerous, but Daly sees this as an opportunity to rebuild his relationship with his estranged wife, Katie (Lucy Walters), and spend more time with his his daughter, 12-year-old Emma, aka "Shorty" (Carolyn Dodd), while giving his life renewed meaning.
Is It Any Good?
Like the popular 1995 movie, this well-written and expertly produced book adaptation tells an entertaining story filled with dark humor. But the series' episodic format allows for a richer and more nuanced narrative, which works well with the more contemporary setting.
The content is edgier than in the film version. Nonetheless, chances are that fans of the now classic film will probably appreciate what this version of Get Shorty has to offer. But there's no doubt that the overall series will attract a new audience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about adapting books to become movies and TV series. What do you think the challenges would be? What can you accomplish on TV versus film? Do you think this version of Get Shorty is a good adaptation?
This version of Get Shorty has a more diverse cast than the one in the film. Why? How does this impact the overall story?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 13, 2017
- Cast : Chris O'Dowd , Ray Romano , Lidia Porto
- Network : Epix
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 3, 2022
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