Even with all their flaws and foibles, every single character in Get Shorty is somehow, well, lovable

I got to thinking about this comment and whether the reason Elmore’s characters are “lovable” is because he loves them.  Not what they do, obviously, but who they are or the fact that they exist.  What do you think?

I don’t know that Ronnie’s lovable. He’s a moron. You laugh at him, not with him. The rest, though, even the Cat, you feel something for.

I love it though when Cat let’s up on his tough-guy act, gets human with Chili for a moment in Harry’s office discussing the script, and Chili plays along for a minute then says, “then what the hell do I need you for?” Shutting down the Cat in a few words, provoking an immediate return of Cat “on the muscle.”

My posts keep getting lost in the ether. What I’m trying to say is:

Whenever Elmore introduces a character, whatever his or her moral worth, he nearly always goes the whole way exploring what kind of person we’re dealing with. Think Teddy Magyk (in particular his two astonishing one-liners); how can you work on a character like that, thinking about him night & day for maybe a year, if all you feel for him is repugnance?