Witless Protection (2008)

Director:

Charles Robert Carner

Writers (WGA):

Charles Robert Carner (screenplay)
Charles Robert Carner (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Protecting America's assets.

Plot:

The story centers on a small-town sheriff who witnesses what he believes is a kidnapping and rushes to rescue a woman...

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | FBI | Possum | Beautiful Woman | Shotgun

Awards:

4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Jan. 15	6:20 AM	TMC
Fri. Jan. 15	9:35 PM	TMC

Cast

Larry The Cable Guy	...	Deputy Larry Stalder
Richard Bull	...	Sheriff Smoot
J. David Moeller	...	Elmer
Will Clinger	...	Bo
Omar Dykes	...	Gus (as Omar Kent Dykes)
Reno Collier	...	Tater
Jenny McCarthy	...	Connie
Yaphet Kotto	...	Alonzo Mosely
Ivana Milicevic	...	Madeleine
Dan Waller	...	Agent Orange / MIB #1
Rick Le Fevour	...	MIB #2
Joseph Luis Caballero	...	MIB #3 (as Joe Caballero)
Sean Bridgers	...	Norm
Gerry Bednob	...	Omar
Claudia Michelle Wallace	...	TSA Woman
Emir Yonzon	...	TSA Supervisor
Gary Tippett	...	TSA Dog Handler
Jesse Dabson	...	TSA Expert
Peter Stormare	...	Arthur Grimsley
Jessica Grace Orr	...	Vibiana (as Jessica Orr)
Kurt Naebig	...	Mark Bedell
Eric Roberts	...	Wilford Duvall
Michael Carner	...	Young Boy
Joe Mantegna	...	Dr. Rondog 'Doc' Savage
Gail Rastorfer	...	Morgana
Lynnette Gaza	...	Lillian Grimoire
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Christopher	...	Butcher
Cyn Dulay	...	Mansion Guest
Tara Ketterer	...	Beauty Queen
Joseph Lazicki	...	Cowboy
Angelina Lyubomirova	...	Pretty Secretary
Greg McAleer	...	Alley Bum
Charles E Tiedje	...	Hometown Hero
Tommy Bartlett	...	Polo Match Guest (uncredited)
Emily Margaret Heitzer	...	Elegant Brunette Guest (uncredited)
Kyle Hillman	...	Chicago Police Officer (uncredited)
Tim Krueger	...	Polo soiree attendee (uncredited)
Abi McKenzie	...	Kid in Parade (uncredited)
James Pusztay	...	Biker (uncredited)
Henry Sandifer	...	Young FBI Agent (uncredited)
Gary Sedlock	...	Wealthy Party goer at Mansion (uncredited)
Amit Shah	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Chauncey Taylor	...	Grimsley / Polo Party Guest (uncredited)
Lisa Wolf	...	Parade Participant (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Robert Carner

Writing credits (WGA)
Charles Robert Carner		(screenplay)
Charles Robert Carner		(story) &
Alan C. Blomquist		(story) (as Alan Blomquist)

Produced by
Alan C. Blomquist	....	producer
Thomas J. Busch	....	executive producer
Maggie Houlehan	....	associate producer
Jennifer Novak	....	associate producer
J.P. Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
Eric Allaman

Cinematography by
Michael Goi

Film Editing by
Marc Leif

Casting by
Debbie George
Libby Goldstein
Junie Lowry-Johnson

Production Design by
Cabot McMullen

Art Direction by
David Tennenbaum

Set Decoration by
Lisa Wolff

Costume Design by
Susan Kaufmann

Makeup Department
Karen Lynn Accattato	....	makeup department head
Ross Martucci	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Thomas J. Busch	....	unit production manager
Wileen Dragovan	....	assistant unit production manager
Jeffrey M. Rose	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wendi Lampassi	....	first assistant director: second unit
Wendi Lampassi	....	key second assistant director
Michael T. McNerney	....	second assistant director: second unit
John Nelson	....	first assistant director
Courtney Rowe	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Stephanie Barkley	....	assistant art director
Tom Castronovo	....	graphic designer
Jeno Dellicolli	....	gang boss
Anthony Joseph Fatigato	....	painter
Nathan Mack	....	carpenter
Tyler Osman	....	construction coordinator
Charles E Tiedje	....	props
Timothy W. Tiedje	....	property master
Holly Todd	....	on-set dresser
Jessica Voogd	....	buyer
Käthe Walton	....	props
Desi Wolff	....	buyer
Rob Yale	....	assistant property master
Josh Zylstra	....	leadman

Sound Department
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Ethan Beigel	....	adr mixer
Karl Dondlinger	....	cable person
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Gary Gegan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Derek Hanson	....	sound intern
Frederick Howard	....	supervising sound editor
Jason Johnston	....	boom operator
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer
Matthew Reale	....	sound mixing recordist
Kevin Skaggs	....	digital sound transfer engineer
Scott D. Smith	....	sound mixer
Lucy Sustar	....	foley mixer

Special Effects by
Ron Bolanowski	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging supervisor: iO FILM
Kevin Kutchaver	....	visual effects supervisor: HimAnI Productions, Inc.
Mia Lavezzi	....	digital restoration artist
Jon Terada	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Robert G Beck	....	stunt actor
Tobiasz Daszkiewicz	....	stunt performer
Mark Harper	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt coordinator
Tom Lowell	....	stunts
Daniel Maldonado	....	stunt double: Gerry Bednob
Carl Paoli	....	stunt double: Eric Roberts
Linda Perlin	....	stunt double
Tommy Turvey	....	stunts
Tommie Mack Turvey Sr	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joe Carpita	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Lisa Clauson	....	camera production assistant
Joseph Czerw	....	lighting technician
Jaime Dawkins	....	grip
Michael James Fahey	....	grip
Jeffery Garland	....	second assistant camera
Andrew Lostumo	....	grip
Darryl Miller	....	key grip
Peter Morenz	....	film loader
Spencer M. Rohan	....	grip
Matt Setnes	....	camera intern
Dean M. Simmon	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Karina Teismann	....	electrician
Scott Thiele	....	dolly grip: "a" camera
Sam Urdank	....	still photographer
Dave Wightman	....	first assistant camera
Alex Willson	....	electrician
Jeff Tomcho	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sharon D. King	....	casting
Zon M. Pickens-Dumas	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alyson Hancey	....	costume supervisor
Rachael Ohman	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Mato	....	color timer
Michael Mintz	....	colorist: video mastering
Christine Seino	....	assistant on-line editor

Music Department
Kyle Kenneth Batter	....	music editor
Gary Tharp	....	additional music mixer

Transportation Department
Calvin Chin	....	transportation coordinator
Carla Klein	....	driver
Gracie Klein	....	driver
Chris Musick	....	driver

Other crew
Rudra Banerji	....	key set production assistant
Nicole Basile	....	accounting clerk
Adam Boor	....	assistant location manager
Harold Caldwell	....	payroll accountant
Jonelle Castillo	....	additional office production assistant
Danny Cavada	....	additional office production assistant
Joel Goldes	....	dialect coach: pre-production
Jason Grainger	....	production assistant
Darrel Guilbeau	....	adr loop group
Benny Harris	....	assistant: Mr. Stormare
Benny Harris	....	assistant: Peter Stormare
Benny Harris	....	dialect assistant: Peter Stormare
Benny Harris	....	on set dialect coach
Martin L. Hudson	....	assistant location manager
Shea Kammer	....	post-production accountant
Rosa Yang Kato	....	location manager
Joseph Lazicki	....	body double: Eric Roberts
Joseph Lazicki	....	stand-in: Eric Roberts
Curtis Leopardo	....	production assistant
Omar McClinton	....	production coordinator
Stefan Nikolov	....	assistant location manager
Sara Nudelman	....	assistant production coordinator
Martina O'Boyle	....	production assistant
Adam Palya	....	set production assistant
Paul Rathburn	....	chef
Adam Slutsky	....	additional set production assistant
Adrienne Swan	....	first assistant accountant
Tara N. Thomson	....	office production assistant
Valerie Walbrandt	....	key production office assistant
Claire Wiegand	....	assistant to director
Käthe Walton	....	first assistant accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Parallel Entertainment

Distributors

• Lionsgate (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Eagle Films (2008) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Lionsgate (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Movie Bank (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)

Special Effects

• HimAnI Productions

Other Companies

• Chicago Audio Works  production sound services
• Crowd In A Box  inflatable extras
• Crowd In A Box  inflatable mannequins
• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• Departure Studios  post-production facilities
• ExtraOrdinary Casting  extras casting
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  junxion box rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  walkie rentals

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for crude and sex-related humor.

Runtime:

USA:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #43912) | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:PG | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Brookfield, Illinois, USA

Company:

Parallel Entertainment

Trivia:

Yaphet Kotto's character has a different name in the DVD than in the theatrical version (see Alternate Versions entry).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Larry and Madeleine are sitting on the barge and she is done fixing her makeup, she puts her mirror into her purse twice.

Quotes:

Arthur Grimsley: Well played, for a hillbilly.
Larry: Hey, I won. That means I get to go to your big hoedown tonight.
Arthur Grimsley: In your dreams.
Larry: No, I dream about getting a nut rub from Scarlett Johansson. That ain't gonna happen.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Witless Protection Blooper Reel (2008) (V)

Slight of fat

This is one of those slight-of-hand smart comedies, which explains why its target audience hated it so much. A bit too intellectual for them.

A lot of the stuff involves dumb gags, silly (and easily seen over-the-top) stereotypes, and the acting is not going to win any awards for comedy or otherwise. But it is all wound up into an enjoyable story and directed well enough that even Eric Roberts is able to handle his role. It also has enough complexity and subtlety to keep it interesting (provided you're able to make it through the first 10 minutes, which really is bad, but does still tie into the story).

Maybe the problem is that the target audience can't handle the memory required to get past the first 10 minutes.