The Ringer
Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: December 23, 2005
6.0
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 45 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
20
Mixed:
16
Negative:
9
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
9
RobertC.Mar 30, 2006
Clearly this is a film which produces strong reactions. I thought it was jaw droppingly brilliant and funny. I could have done without the sentimental epilogue but the US seems to like that sort of thing and they made it. I thought the girl Clearly this is a film which produces strong reactions. I thought it was jaw droppingly brilliant and funny. I could have done without the sentimental epilogue but the US seems to like that sort of thing and they made it. I thought the girl was a dish - where has she been all my life? Sadly the enormous cinema inLleicester square where I saw it was empty. Pity.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
MarkB.Jan 10, 2006
Under normal circumstances, the only person who'd qualify as being equally or more despicable than someone who attempts to rig the Special Olympics is someone who thinks the whole idea is a real gas and tries to make a comedy about it. Under normal circumstances, the only person who'd qualify as being equally or more despicable than someone who attempts to rig the Special Olympics is someone who thinks the whole idea is a real gas and tries to make a comedy about it. Well, as those of us who have watched There's Something About Mary and Shallow Hal already know, there's nothing normal about the Farrelly brothers. They have a large number of off-screen friends who are physically and/or mentally challenged (and cast them in nearly all their movies) , they do a lot of spare-time volunteer work for related causes, and in general they work out of not only a deep sense of compassion but also affection for this community. And believe it or not, they and screenwriter Ricky Blitt and director Barry Blaustein actually come up with a farcically plausible premise that makes nice guy Steve's attempt to pull off such an outrageous ruse at least understandable (if definitely not justifiable). It says a lot for the depth of The Ringer's insight into its subject matter that Steve's mentally challenged teammates see through his con almost immediately; they instinctively know he isn't one of them. The dodgiest plot element is that the movie's potential romantic interest (Katherine Heigl), a Special Olympics coach, DOESN'T catch on that Steve is pretending to be what he's not, but this is chalked up to a good-natured naivete on her part that also allows her to be strung along by the traditional Bad Boyfriend. The movie is sweet but not sentimental (at least until the last ten minutes when it's genuinely earned the right to be); it's consistently amusing while pulling off the small miracle of NOT making you feel bad about laughing, and the casting is truly impressive: it's extremely difficult to tell which of the Special Olympians in the film are being played by really good actors pretending to be challenged and which are real-life mentally challenged folks who also really good actors. (I tried to guess a couple of times and was wrong on both counts.) Brian Cox plays Steve's slimy uncle, who concocts the plot, and if I wasn't previously convinced of what a great actor he is, I am now: forget his moving monologue at the end of 25th Hour or that he was the original Hannibal Lector; if his ability to make this sleazebag come across as fairly likable isn't the mark of greatness, nothing is. And as for Johnny Knoxville (The Dukes of Hazzard), let's just say that I'm not normally a fan, to say the least; the close-up of a filled department store commode in Jackass: The Movie pretty much sums up my general opinion of his career--but here he not only makes the difficult masquerade work, but surprisingly turns out to be an engaging, funny and sympathetic leading man. Just one unexpected surprise in a movie that's full of them: The Ringer takes the worst, most tasteless movie premise of 2005 and turns it into one of that year's most entertaining and endearing crowd-pleasers.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
BubbleManJun 17, 2006
It wasn't as good as Benchwarmers IMO because it was like true love, not funny love. But otherwise it was a really good movie with funny jokes through out the whole movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
lolal.Dec 22, 2005
Hilarious! Although, if you have no experience with people with special needs then you probably cannot appreciate the humour to its fullest extent. Portrays everyone realistically without being overly 'nice' to those who face Hilarious! Although, if you have no experience with people with special needs then you probably cannot appreciate the humour to its fullest extent. Portrays everyone realistically without being overly 'nice' to those who face different challenges than others.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
DanL.Dec 24, 2005
It's ehh......more of a rent than to dish out 9.95 for. Oh, and Johnny Knoxville is NOT funny.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
MaryR.Dec 25, 2005
Very sweet and funny. Except for some occasional crude humor, it is a good family movie so that kids can see that mentally challenged people are no different -- they love and laugh just like everyone else.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
TylerD.Jan 29, 2006
The Ringer worked surprisingly well. Johnny Knoxville actually makes fun of himself rather than than the handicapped, which I'm sure many of you thought wasn't going to happen. Many of the funny parts come from the handicapped The Ringer worked surprisingly well. Johnny Knoxville actually makes fun of himself rather than than the handicapped, which I'm sure many of you thought wasn't going to happen. Many of the funny parts come from the handicapped making fun of Knoxville, like the part "When the F*** did we get ice cream!?". The handicapped definitely outsmart the non-handicapped in this laugh-out-loud comedy.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
ConnorS.Dec 31, 2005
I saw this movie today, and i thought it was hilarious. the reason why i thought it was a good movie was because it was not pointless. it had a very good plot, and taught a good lesson. i think that it isi definetly worth buying. and alsoI saw this movie today, and i thought it was hilarious. the reason why i thought it was a good movie was because it was not pointless. it had a very good plot, and taught a good lesson. i think that it isi definetly worth buying. and also have to add that johnny knoxville is getting quite good at acting. lets just say he was not too great in dukes of hazzard.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
ydnar4Feb 2, 2015
Sure it may be focusing on a touchy subject and it could be considered offensive to some people but overall I found The Ringer a funny and cute movie. Johnny Knoxville working with the developmentally disabled kids made for some funny momentsSure it may be focusing on a touchy subject and it could be considered offensive to some people but overall I found The Ringer a funny and cute movie. Johnny Knoxville working with the developmentally disabled kids made for some funny moments and you just can't help but feel content by the way he treats these people. I'm sure its not that easy to taint the special Olympics but the movie didn't have the stupidest plot in the world and I was really shocked by how much I really enjoyed it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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