This is a movie about a guy who isn't mentally-challenged, but pretends to be in order to compete in the Special Olympics. Sounds pretty awful, doesn't it? I hate political correctness, but that sounds downright insensitive. Well, as it turns out, "The Ringer" is a sweet film that's actually endorsed by the committee in charge of the Special Olympics. And it's pretty damn entertaining, too.
"The Ringer" was directed by Barry W. Blaustein, and this is his second film as director, the first being the wrestling documentary, "Beyond the Mat." Former professional wrestler Terry Funk even has a small role in the film. Actually, I call him a former professional wrestler, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's still wrestling. Also, if you listen closely, you can hear a voice cameo by former professional wrestler and former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura. Blaustein is pretty new to directing, but he's been a successful comedy writer for a while. With his writing partner David Sheffield, he helped write "Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment," "Coming to America," "Boomerang," "The Nutty Professor," "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps," "The Honeymooners," and others. Barry W. Blaustein didn't write this film, though. It was written by Ricky Blitt, and this is his feature film screenplay debut, though he's written for a few TV shows, including "Family Guy."
The star of "The Ringer" is Johnny Knoxville (the "Jackass" himself), and I think he was a great casting choice. There's a lot of physical comedy in the film, and you see the character fall on his ass a lot, and Johnny Knoxville certainly has experience with that. He's not a master thespian, but he's the right guy for this role, and he nails it. He also manages to be sympathetic, despite the fact that what he's doing is pretty despicable. Also in the film is the very sexy Katherine Heigl (she was in the really cool TV series, "Roswell," and now she's in "Grey's Anatomy") and the not very sexy (at least to me) Brian Cox, who's playing a role that's very different for him.
Admittedly, "The Ringer" isn't sophisticated comedy, but it's a sweet, good-hearted film that had me laughing a whole lot. Yes, the humor is lowbrow, but I like that kinda comedy. "The Ringer" may not be your cup of tea, but if you're into silly, lowbrow comedy with a heart of gold, this might be the movie for you.
Scale of 1-10: 8