Kings Ransom – DVD

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 loveable 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 favour 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.