Code Name: The Cleaner starring Lucy Liu, Nicollette Sheridan, and Cedric the Entertainer as FBI/CIA Secret Agent
Official Code Name: The Cleaner Movie: Producer Brett Ratner, Director Les Mayfield. Starring Lucy Liu, Nicollette Sheridan
Code Name: The Cleaner directed by Les Mayfield, Produced by Brett Ratner. Starring Lucy Liu, Nicollette Sheridan, and Cedric The Entertainer
In 2001, when
New Line
presented Robert Adetuyi's original screenplay of The Cleaner to Producers
Jay Stern
and
Brett Ratner
, principals of
Rat Entertainment
, they thought it was a great idea for a movie. A few drafts and years later,
Cedric 'The Entertainer'
and his producing partner Eric Rhone came aboard. During this period of rewrites by George Gallo, Cedric helped to shape his character in a role tailor-made for his comedic talents.
'What I like to do as a comedian is identify with the 'Everyman',' says Cedric. 'Just imagine being a regular worker, a janitor who wakes up in the middle of some big government operation. It's like 'I am not prepared for this.' But in your make-believe mind, you believe that you can handle the job, so you just do what you gotta do in a very common man kind of way. I think it shows there is a greater hero in all of us if given the right opportunity.'
During this period, Director
Les Mayfield
agreed to take on the project, followed soon after by Executive Producers
A.J. Dix
and
Anthony Rhulen
, heads of
FilmEngine
, who agreed to partner with New Line in financing the project with New Line retaining domestic distribution rights and FilmEngine in charge of foreign sales.
'What I saw in the script and in Jay Stern's approach was it was time to turn the 'who-am-I' movie on its head,' says Mayfield. 'Basically the fun of the story is Jake, our character, as he struggles to determine who he is. He believes at one point he's an operative, a secret CIA agent. He equally believes that he's also a janitor, so he struggles between these two different identities as we watch him piece together his identity from scratch.'
Concurs Stern, 'Depending on what perspective you take, Cedric, who plays Jake, is either a James Bond, a Rambo, a special forces commando type. Or he's a janitor. And we go back and forth thinking he's one or the other. What's interesting is that we watch as Cedric's character actually tries to create his own identity out of clues and dreams. The identity he invents is somebody who's great - a hero type. And that's something everybody can identify with because everybody has some kind of wish to be great.'
'Cedric is a true comedic genius,' proclaims Producer
Brett Ratner
. 'And Les is the perfect director to give him the freedom to create great stuff. Cedric gives so many different choices, the director's job is to keep the tone consistent. It's going to be hard to choose what's the funniest. What separates Cedric from other comedians is a presence which really translates to the big screen.'
'Les is a great director in that he understands comedians,' says Cedric. 'He's a fan of the comic mind. His good nature and sense of humor really motivate comedians to do great movies. You need the kind of person that's painting the picture to allow you to be the color. Whatever it is that you bring, they're going to put on the page, because at the end of the day, the director is the one putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. You just want to give him great pieces.'
Adds Stern, 'Cedric not only brings amazing comedic chops to the plate, he also brings a great deal of warmth and humanity - he's more than an incredibly funny guy.' Dix concurs, 'I've always been a fan of Cedric's. He brings a realistic comedy to this thriller. And Les really knows how to please an audience. The combination of Cedric and Les makes for a funny and smart comedic-thriller.'
