Stars: Johnny Knoxville, Mohammad Ahmed, Geoffrey Arend, Edward Barbanell, Johnny Bartee, Nicole E. Bradley, Camille Chen, Bill Chott, Brian Cox, Kelly Cook, Alcides Dias

Director: Barry W. Blaustein

Summary: Peter and Bobby Farrelly have always expressed an especially warm but unsentimental attitude in their films toward those with disabilities, most notably in THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and SHALLOW HAL. THE RINGER, which they produced (but neither wrote nor directed), takes this trait to feverish new heights. JACKASS-cum-leading man stars Johnny Knoxville as office schmo Steve Barker, whose request for more responsibility at his job indirectly results in the severing of four fingers from the hand of Stavi, the mild-mannered office janitor. When Steve requests financial help from his morally-questionable gambling addict Uncle Gary (Brian Cox), Stevie finds himself posing as Jeffy an athlete in the Special Olympics whose victory against track champion Jimmy (Leonard Flowers) could spell an end to Uncle Gary's debts and the reattaching of Stavi's fingers. Though a basic description of its premise would make most viewers cry foul, THE RINGER skirts the obvious charge of exploitation by making the mentally challenged characters the only ones to realise that Steve is only acting handicapped. Steve's fellow Olympians are cast with a combination of veteran character actors and real-life former Special Olympians (most notably Edward Barbanell, John Taylor, and Leonard Flowers) who, while lending the film authenticity, also spark with comic timing and the true joy of being on camera. Knoxville once again makes an affable hero, and Ricky Blitt's screenplay, while crass by nature, keeps true vulgarity at bay in favour of a good nature that makes simplicity an asset.

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Johnny Knoxville (Jackass, A Dirty Shame) stars as a man who pretends to be mentally challenged so he can fix the Special Olympics. This morally dubious premise (the movie goes to great lengths to be sure you understand how appalling it is) is not as inflammatory as it could be--The Ringeris careful not to mock its mentally challenged characters. This is sometimes a source of strength, as some of the funniest jokes come from the perspective of the athletes--for example, a group of the other athletes recognize that Steve (Knoxville) is not the high-functioning mentally disabled guy he pretends to be, but they go along with the masquerade and even help Steve because they can't stand the snotty reigning champion. But this respectfulness also makes the movie feel cautious and inhibited (one imagines there's a wealth of un-PC jokes that got cut out of the script so it could pass muster with the Special Olympics, who gave the movie its blessing). As a result, the movie's real plot turns out to be a love story, as Steve falls for one of the Special Olympics volunteers (Katherine Heigl, Romy and Michelle: In the Beginning) and has to find sneaky ways to undermine her slimy boyfriend. All in all, an uneven comedy with occasional flashes of wicked wit. Also featuring the always-welcome Brian Cox (Adaptation, X-Men 2).--Bret Fetzer

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Commentary, Sixteen Deleted Scenes, Four Featurettes, Inside Look The Sentinel
Year:	2005
Release Date:	July 24, 2006
Runtime:	94 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	2723101000
Keywords:	Comedy, General, Ringer
Genre:	Comedy