Other Titles • King's Ransom (2005) • Untitled Anthony Anderson Project
Synopses for King's Ransom (2005)
1.
Anthony Anderson has built a career by creating likable supporting performances in mediocre movies from Urban Legends: Final Cut to Kangaroo Jack to Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London. So he probably leapt on King's Ransom as an opportunity to show his star potential, surrounded by a good cast, including Jay Mohr (Jerry Maguire), Nicole Parker (Soul Food), Loretta Devine (Woman Thou Art Loosed), and Regina Hall (Scary Movie). Regrettably, all King's Ransom shows is why Anderson ended up in so many mediocre movies in the first place: Poor judgment. This contrived comedy about a business mogul who has himself kidnapped to wriggle out of a divorce settlement--only, what a surprise, his plans go awry and hijinks ensue--is one long series of clumsy, unoriginal, and just unfunny scenes that barely connect into a plot. It's a movie that seems to have been made as a tax write-off. Also featuring Kellita Smith (The Bernie Mac Show) and Donald Faison (Scrubs). --Bret Fetzer
2.
Anthony Anderson sheds his usual sidekick status, heading up the ensemble cast of this farcical romp as Malcolm King, a boorish, egomaniacal billionaire who owns a huge, equally tasteless marketing firm in Chicago. The cocky businessman is quickly established as the kind of character audiences love to hate, insulting underlings with glee and emitting crass vulgarities whenever he opens his mouth. His lovable secretary Miss Gladys (Loretta Devine) tries to keep him in line, while his uber-ditz of an administrative assistant, Peaches (Regina King, SCARY MOVIE), keeps him satisfied. Kellita Smith (THE BERNIE MAC SHOW) plays Malcolm's gold-digging wife, who is sleeping with her hunky, though stuttering, pool boy (Roger Cross) while seeking a hefty divorce settlement. The cast is rounded out by Angela (Nicole Ari Parker, SOUL FOOD), the temporary VP who is passed up for the job in favor of the boss's mistress, and Corey (Jay Mohr, LAST COMIC STANDING), a loser who lives in his grandmother's basement; his gang banger sister intimidates him into taking part in criminal activities. Resentments toward King abound, and soon everyone gets the same idea: kidnap Malcolm, take him for all he's worth, and teach him a valuable lesson. Even the big man himself decides to orchestrate his own kidnapping, in order to throw a wrench in the plans of his wife's lawyer. A cacophony of mistaken identities, misunderstandings, and general mayhem ensues, during which time the supporting cast is given a chance to shine; in particular, Jay Mohr deftly handles a violent run-in with a fast food worker with hilarious results. Donald Faison (SCRUBS) and Charlie Murphy (CHAPPELLE'S SHOW) also turn in stellar performances, as a randy parking attendant and a growling ex-con on the down low.
3.
Everybody wants a piece of Malcolm King…
A successful and wealthy businessman, with plenty of attitude to spare, Malcolm (Anthony Anderson) has made more than his share of enemies over the years, including his soon-to-be ex-wife (Kellita Smith) and his overworked, under-appreciated employees. Not wanting to go through a messy and expensive divorce played out in the media, Malcolm devises a plan to save his money from his wife’s eager hands. Along with the help of his mistress, Peaches (Regina Hall), Malcolm plots his own kidnapping in order to secure a fictitious ransom so extremely high that, once paid, the public will think he’s broke and unable to meet his wife’s financial demands.
But unbeknownst to Malcolm, he’s not the only one with a kidnapping plan. Not only his wife, but one of his long-suffering employees (Nicole Parker) and a dim-witted local bumpkin (Jay Mohr), have all cooked up separate schemes of their own, each more ridiculous than the next. What results is a wild, comedic ride for Malcolm that will change his life forever.
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