But an even bigger surprise is that the film, a comedy about rigging the Special Olympics, has been given the official backing by the actual Special Olympics. So who's the joke really on, then?

Steve (Johnny Knoxville) becomes addicted to self-help tapes and ends up demanding a promotion from his boss. His boss concedes and tells him his first job is to fire the janitor, Steve's friend. But Steve instead hires him to mow his lawn in guilt, giving him a raise from his own salary. But after an accident the janitor loses his fingers and Steve is unable to pay the medical bills. Steve's Uncle Gary (Brian Cox) is also in need of some money. He owes a long past due loan to the mob. He comes up with a 'brilliant' plan to rig the special Olympics. He is going to make Steve enter and win, because as he's the only non-disabled contender he'll surely win right?

The Ringer is a troubling film. It's never quite clear where the film's loyalties lie. It starts out as amusing enough and moves along at a good pace, the joke quota nicely tuned. There are some risqué jokes and the filmmakers seem to be aiming for edgy humour. It's surprising at just how funny the film is. But as it progresses, it makes an important and jarring shift.

The focus shifts and begins to almost berate us for laughing at what we may have laughed at before. There is an overwhelming and nauseating sentimentality which reigns in the finale and there is even a sickening musical number performed by the other athletes. It's all about why they deserve more respect and it feels uncomfortably tagged on and deliberately aimed at the audience. It's as if the writer has suddenly had a guilt trip for the jokes he made earlier on and is trying to redeem himself.

While many of the jokes are well written, the film also relies on way too many shots of Knoxville falling over or being involved in other pratfalls. It's a lazy form of comedy and dumbs down any message the film was hoping to deliver. Johnny Knoxville isn't a very experienced actor and it's actually unclear when he's pretending to be a special athlete and when he's simply being himself. Brian Cox is excellent and it's a shame he doesn't have more screen time.

The film should be admired for using actors who actually have learning disabilities and in that respect does carry a certain air of authenticity. You can see, especially near the end, why it would be given the blessing of the Special Olympics. It's just a shame that a film which starts off with a refreshingly dark and amoral idea soon softens and becomes a little too nice. Nothing that happens proves surprising, and it's difficult to care about the central romance but, for the most, The Ringer is a good deal funnier than other recent mainstream comedies.

  share with:  Facebook | Digg | other sites