Surprisingly charming (The Ringer (DVD))

Member Name: shaneo632

Product:	The Ringer (DVD)
Date:	21/07/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Knoxville, warm-hearted

Disadvantages: Corny ending

And the award for one of the most potentially offensive comedies of the decade goes to The Ringer, a Johnny Knoxville vehicle that's actually surprisingly tolerable, and nowhere near as mean spirited as you might expect from the Jackass alumnus.

Steve (Johnny Knoxville) has been promoted in his job, and was forced to fire his friend, Stavi. Out of guilt, he hires him to do jobs around his apartment, but whilst mowing the lawn, Stavi loses three fingers, and without medical insurance, has no means of paying for them to be re-attached. Steve must come up with a way to get the money, and from his degenerate uncle Gary (Brian Cox), who himself owes lots of gambling debts, they decide to try and fix the Special Olympics. Thus, they decide to enter Steve as a high functioning developmentally disabled young man crudely named Jeffy Dahmor.

You may well think that this just pokes fun at the Special Olympics, but in fact, it's an almost poignant film that sends the right message home about the disabled, and presents them as people just like us. It also stars many actual Special Olympians for added authenticity, and proof that the community approve of the film's production. Knoxville makes a very human lead, and whilst it does resort to the type of expected sentimentality as Steve has to break the news to Lynn (Katherine Heigl) that he isn't actually disabled, and then attempt to win her back, it's still infectiously charming and fun.

With its fair share of chuckles and a warm-hearted message, The Ringer makes for pretty harmless entertainment, although is marred somewhat by its predictability and a schmaltzy ending.

Summary: Ultimately corny but mostly well natured