King's Ransom 2005

views updated

King's Ransom ★ 2005 (PG-13)

Perennial comic sidekick Anderson proves that some actors are only funny in small doses with his first leading role as obnoxious self-obsessed billionaire Malcolm King. The deceitful mogul ignores his gold-digging wife (Smith), harasses his good-natured secretary (Devine), and makes life a living hell for the employees at his Chicago-based marketing firm. His enemies all get the same idea—kidnap King and teach him a lesson—and painfully unfunny hijinks ensue. Even King gets involved with faking his own kidnapping, which was amusing back when it was originally done in “Ruthless People.” The cast features an ensemble of legitimately funny actors who are cast adrift in this pointless, humorless wreck. 97m/C DVD . US Anthony Anderson, Jay Mohr, Kellita Smith, Nicole Ari Parker, Regina Hall, Loretta Devine, Donald Adeosun Faison, Charlie (Charles Q.) Murphy, Lisa Marcos, Brooke D'Orsay, Leila Arcieri, Jackie Burroughs; D: Jeff Byrd; W: Wayne Conley; C: Robert McLachlan.