‘Ransom’ With Bill Simmons and Van Lathan
November 9, 2021 · Ransom (1996) · Action · Crime · Drama · 1:24:21
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Van LathanAgrees with the kidnapping scene and provides detailed analysis of why it works - shows parents' internalized guilt, Sean's isolation due to his parents' status, and the setup for their neglect▶ 31:13
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsMel Gibson and AJ Benza's cameo, plus the treatment of the kidnapped child being 25% too mean▶ 1:02:41
Van LathanThe rich billionaire as the hero of a movie (with exception for comic book heroes like Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne who use wealth for good)▶ 1:02:07
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsEvan Handler — Considers Dan Hedaya but leans toward 'bald Californication guy' whose name he doesn't know▶ 1:07:19
Van LathanDan Hedaya — Mentions Dan Hedaya and the bald Californication guy as options, also notes an Asian actress from What About Bob but says she's too small a role▶ 1:08:00
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsBen Affleck — Ben Affleck as the Liev Schreiber character, also suggests Brendan Fraser and Jason Lee▶ 1:09:50
Van LathanBen Affleck — Acknowledges the timing works for Affleck (Mallrats era) and agrees Jason Lee would bring wise-ass comments but notes similar attempts didn't work▶ 1:10:18
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsProduction delayed due to Mel Gibson's emergency appendectomy, pushed release from 1995 to 1996; Brawley Nolte (Nick Nolte's son) played the kid▶ 1:10:47
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsRene Russo — Renee Russo - 1996 (Ransom and Tin Cup same year), Gary Sinise - Apollo 13 coming off Forrest Gump, kidnapping movies as a genre, Jackie Brown as movie character, rich guy New York apartments▶ 1:11:41
Van LathanDelroy Lindo — Kidnapping movies as most popular ever, Delroy Lindo - Crooklyn if he had one, agrees on rich guy New York apartments▶ 1:12:01
Movies Referenced (64)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackie Brown (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 48:08 |
| Man on Fire (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 4:22 |
| Apollo 13 (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 22:25 |
| Friday Night Lights (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 45:38 |
| Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 18:41 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:44 |
| Revolutionary Road (2008) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 55:00 |
| A Beautiful Mind (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 51:54 |
| Braveheart (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 13:50 |
| Chasing Amy (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:10:14 |
| Cinderella Man (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 53:31 |
| Conspiracy Theory (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 13:54 |
Directors Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mel Gibson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 65 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory | ▶ 2:36 |
| Ron Howard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | A Beautiful Mind | ▶ 2:36 |
| Ben Affleck | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Argo, Gone Girl, The Town | ▶ 37:17 |
Actors Referenced (58)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rene Russo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Nightcrawler, The Thomas Crown Affair, Ransom | ▶ 18:37 |
| Gary Sinise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 14 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, Apollo 13 | ▶ 23:49 |
| Matt Damon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed | ▶ 47:14 |
| Delroy Lindo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Sinners, Get Shorty | ▶ 44:08 |
| Alec Baldwin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | The Departed, It's Complicated, Glengarry Glen Ross | ▶ 11:54 |
| Dan Hedaya | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Usual Suspects, Commando, Mulholland Drive | ▶ 57:43 |
| Donnie Wahlberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons | Ransom, Dead Silence | ▶ 29:43 |
| Jason Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Almost Famous, Chasing Amy, Vanilla Sky | ▶ 1:08:24 |
| Anthony Mackie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Van Lathan | The Hurt Locker, The Adjustment Bureau | ▶ 36:36 |
| Judge Reinhold | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Beverly Hills Cop, Fast Times at Ridgemont High | ▶ 6:00 |
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 14:34 |
| Tommy Lee Jones | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | The Fugitive, No Country for Old Men | ▶ 24:42 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Mullen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 29:50 | |
| Lily Taylor | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 57:51 | |
| Tony Behringer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | No Hard Feelings, Draft Day | ▶ 21:37 |
| Cyril Hume | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Ransom | ▶ 57:28 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 27:15 |