Summaries

Synopsis

Ricky Hayman (Jeff Goldblum) and Kate Newell (Kelly Preston) work at the Good Buy Shopping Network, a home shopping channel run by John McBainbridge (Robert Loggia) . Ricky is also shown to be very flirty with the models, and a bit impulsive in his decision making, which leads to losses for the network. He is also behind on his car payments and has no money left in his accounts. Ricky goes to ask John for a raise.Sales have been down over the last two years (27 months) under Ricky's management, and Kate was brought in to come up with new ideas. John gives Ricky 2 weeks to start moving product, or he will be fired. Ricky is told to work with Kate to increase sales by 8% in 2 weeks.Kate says that the network needs to have a better differentiation of its channels and the channels needs better presenters and sales techniques to improve sales and meet targets.

Ricky views Kate as a threat and she expresses her dislike for him as well. However, John has given Ricky an ultimatum to increase sales, or lose his job. While out driving one day Ricky has a tire blow out. As Ricky parks the car on the side of the highway and tries to change the tire, Ricky and Kate come across a charismatic strange man who calls himself "G" (Eddie Murphy). G is unusual in that he wears white robes and is perpetually happy and smiling.As Ricky drives away with Kate, he accidentally puts the car in reverse and almost comes close to hitting G. G faints due to the shock and is taken to the hospital by Ricky and Kate.He seems to sense how troubled Ricky is and follows them back to the Good Buy studio. G also wanted to thank Ricky for paying his hospital bill.

G wanders onto the set of an infomercial, and while he is on the air, the number of calls with customers wanting to buy something increases. The infomercial was selling synthetic laundry detergent balls, and G starts interacting with the 2 elderly ladies and shares his own Kurta with them as it was stained and was in need of cleaning.Ricky believes that G is wanting to sue him and offers him money for a motel. Kate offers that G can stay at her house, which prompts Ricky to invite G to his house instead. It is implied that Ricky has feelings for Kate, and he considers G a security threat.

Ricky throws a party for all the best distributors at his place and invites Kate to the event. Ricky hopes to sign the good distributors to sell their product on his channels. Kate brings Scott Hawkes (Eric McCormack) who knows all the distributors at a personal level, to help Ricky.When G comes out of his room, Ricky introduces him as his yoga guy. One of the main distributors Nino Cerutti has a fear of flying and G offers of hypnotize him to cure him of his fear. G also displays his talents by making a Rolex watch "disappear".

Due to G, Nino is cure of his fear of flying and he signs a deal with Ricky. Ricky asks G to come on his home shopping network and sell product.G's infomercials are mostly spontaneous anecdotes or thoughts about life. G moves from one infomercial set to another and tells the customers that they don't need more things in life to achieve inner peace. The customers connect with G and even the slowest moving items begin selling out.John considers the decision a disaster and fires Ricky.

Kate notices the increase in sales due to G and gets G his own spot on the network selling items, and Ricky retains his job.Scott pitches a new marketing campaign to John and says that he wants to run the whole network and guarantees that he will double sales in 18 months.Meanwhile, the mutual dislike between Ricky and Kate fades and they begin to express romantic interest in each other.

Ricky begins marketing G's name on other items to increase sales. He wants to give G his own show, but the stressful work environment and throngs of fans who want to meet G begin to take its toll.As G is a success, John scuttles the deal with Scott and goes with Ricky. Scott launches a manhunt for any person who has any information about G's past. One woman named Grace comes forward and claims that G is her husband and that he has a full family, with kids.G meets Grace in front of the media and doesn't say a word. Grace admits that she lied for the money, and that G is a saint. G had helped Grace as a friend. Grace exposes Scott as the one who paid her $5000 to lie to the media.

But G is no longer the happy, inspiring man he once was, and when Kate tries to convince John to let G leave the network, he refuses, and she quits out of contempt. Ricky reaps the benefits of the increased sales, receiving a large promotion and a new office. However, the rewards seem hollow due to G's lethargy and Kate's rejection of him.

On the night of the premiere of G's new show, Ricky searches himself and decides that letting G go is the right choice. He announces his decision live on air to the studio audience and to his boss. Kate hears of his decision and forgives Ricky, racing back to the studio to be with him. They have a romantic reunion on the air, and the show is ended. Afterwards, Ricky and Kate say their goodbyes to the fully recovered G, who wanders off into the distance to continue his pilgrimage.