Witless Protection
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Alan C. Blomquist
Alan C. Blomquist
| Witless Protection | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Charles Robert Carner |
| Screenplay by | Charles Robert Carner |
| Story by | Charles Robert Carner Alan C. Blomquist |
| Produced by | J.P. Williams Alan C. Blomquist |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Michael Goi |
| Edited by | Marc Leif |
| Music by | Eric Allaman |
Production companies | Samwilla Shaler Entertainment Parallel Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
Release date |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7.5 million[1] |
| Box office | $4.2 million[2] |
Witless Protection is a 2008 American crime comedy film written, and directed by Charles Robert Carner, and starring Larry the Cable Guy and Jenny McCarthy.
Distributed by Lionsgate, the film was theatrically released on February 22, 2008. It was critically panned and was a commercial failure, grossing $4.1 million.
It was the final film appearance of Yaphet Kotto before his retirement later that year from acting, and his death in 2021.[3][4]
Larry Stalder is a small-town deputy who dreams of becoming an FBI agent. He witnesses what he believes is a kidnapping and rushes to rescue a woman named Madeleine. The "kidnappers" turn out to be FBI agents assigned to protect her and deliver her to a big Enron-type corruption trial in Chicago.
After the misunderstanding is cleared, Larry attempts to deliver Madeleine to the agents and get a commendation letter from them until he discovers that they're corrupted. It's later revealed that they work for Arthur Grimsley, the criminal whom Madeleine is going to testify against, who also dumped her. While spending the night at a motel, Larry and Madeleine are found by the agents and escape. During their journey, they discover that the evidence against Arthur, contained within a disc, was stolen and is inside a safe in Arthur's mansion. After evading capture from Wilford Duvall, Arthur's head of security, they manage to keep the villains off track by faking Madeleine's death. Arriving in Chicago, Larry enters a charity polo match to get invited to a ball at Arthur's mansion. He manages to beat Arthur, who at first denies to invite him to the ball until Larry convinces him otherwise.
At the ball, Larry searches for the disc while Madeleine dances with Arthur to distract him. During the search, Larry encounters and defeats Wilford in the display room of the mansion. He then bargains with one of the corrupted FBI agents to let him go, in exchange for the money in the safe. After getting the disc, Larry and Madeleine manage to escape after Arthur easily deduces her identity and holds her hostage, forcing Larry to give him the disc to save Madeleine. It is later revealed that the disc Larry gave to Arthur was a video of him singing his favorite country song.
After sending Arthur to prison, the FBI offers Larry the opportunity to join them, but he refuses. He and Madeleine say goodbye and part ways. Upon returning home, Larry becomes the town sheriff and celebrates with his girlfriend Connie.
Cast
- Daniel Whitney (Larry the Cable Guy) as Deputy Larry Stalder
- Ivana Miličević as Madeleine Demcowski
- Jenny McCarthy as Connie
- Joe Mantegna as Dr. Rondog "Doc" Savage
- Yaphet Kotto as Ricardo Bodi
- Richard Bull as Sheriff Smoot
- Eric Roberts as Wilford Duvall
- Peter Stormare as Arthur Grimsley
- J David Moeller as Elmer
- Sean Bridgers as Norm
Production
Many parts of the film were filmed in Plano, Illinois and Virgil, Illinois (train depot, farms, gas station and a few downtown restaurants). Filming also took place in numerous towns in Illinois including Elmhurst, Lombard, Lemont, Sugar Grove, Glen Ellyn, Vernon Hills, Westmont and Yorkville.[citation needed]
