The Ringer

Johnny Knoxville and Brian Cox are spectacular! Hilarious while being entirely calming and at the same time quite awkward. I've known a lot of unique beings and been through a lot so I have a lot of sympathy for people that are different. Also this is my 480th review which I am very proud of, my passion is films and to be famous so maybe someone important could see my opinions. I don't know if someone quirky can even gain success especially since I am 27 but I still have high faith.

A typical modern-day comedy so some of its crudeness with sexual innuendos or remarks, but overall this is a full notch or two above most because underneath it is a soft, good- hearted feel to it. It's also a nice vehicle for a positive image to be presented for mentally- challenged people (formerl called "retards"). Those guys are as much of stars in this film as actors Johnny Knoxville and Katherine Heigl.

Knoxville plays the main character, "Steve Barker," a guy for (for good reasons, if that's possible) fakes being "handicapped" and enters The Special Olympics. He is hoping to win a big monetary prize to help pay for a friend's surgery and to help out his degenerate uncle who could be killed if he doesn't pay gamblers what he owes. Brian Cox plays "Uncle Gary." Both the man who needs the surgery ("Stavi," played by Luis Avalos) and Cox are hilarious in their roles, one being sympathetic and the other sleazy.

Along the way, Knoxville falls in love with Special Olympics worker "Lynn Sheridan" (Heigl). Hey, who wouldn't? This woman is unbelievably attractive and plays a good-hearted character.

Most of the funny lines in the movie are delivered by the Special Olympics athletes. Unrealistic? Yes, credibility is not high in that regard as as 99.9 percent of all the world's population would't be clever enough to deliver some of these lines but they are a hoot to hear. The fact you hear them uttered by "mentally-challenged" folks makes it even more outrageous and funny, of course. I can't remember how many times I just laughed out loud at something being said.

And, the film ends on a nigh note despite our hero being discovered as a fraud. The whole story is just a lot of a fun and is truly a feel-good film when it's all over. Highly recommended, but not for small kids because of the language.

While I liked the movie, I liked the story and the cast...it was the supporting cast that was better than the lead Johnny Knoxville.

To me, his performance was weak, but maybe it was intended to be that way.

It's got funny moments but as some people states that it insults the handicapped - no, it does not.

This film honors not only the people in the special Olympics, but those that are with mental, physical or other types of handicaps and it doesn't show them as slow, stupid or unable to perform simple tasks or not cope in the real world.

It's a good film, that only loses it's place in the last two minutes of the entire movie.

This is far better than a Jim Carrey movie which insults handicapped people of all types.

We watched this film with trepidation. The Farrelly brothers don't actually believe in subtlety. "The Ringer" has a cast of mentally challenged players; frankly one feared the worst. Well, as it turned out, this is not your typical movie by the masters of grossness. The direction was entrusted to Barry Blaustein and the writing to Ricky Blitt. While there is some grossness, as was perhaps expected, the makers are actually quite respectful of the people involved in the Special Olympics.

Don't get confused, this is a formula movie, or at least this is what the finished product feels like. The idea of Johnny Knoxville passing as one of the handicapped youths, sounded preposterous. Yet, Mr. Knoxville's performance is one of the reasons for watching it. The great Brian Cox is a hilarious presence as the uncle from hell. Lovely Katherine Heigl adds charm to the proceedings.

This is a fun film because it celebrates people that are less fortunate than the rest of us. They are all portrayed in a dignified manner.

I like many people saw the trailer for this film and instantly felt angry at the Farrelly's for crossing the line and taking the rip out of the disabled, after seeing it the only person having the rip taken out of him was johnny Knoxville who is brilliantly cast as the stooge of his addicted gambler uncle, Brian Cox.

The story of a man who fakes mental disability in order to compete in the special Olympics and win money in a betting scandal seems like it would be just too awful to be believed. But after demanding to be considered for a management condition and given the job of firing Stavi the cleaner, Johnny Knoxville's nice guy character decides to hire him as a gardener, only for him to chop his fingers off. Needing several thousand dollars to pay his hospital bills, he takes the advice of his twisted uncle, played superbly by Brian Cox, to fake disability and rig the special Olympics.

To those who doubt the quality of the film, I say trust the highest raters, this is a very funny film! Don't get me wrong film fans, if you want to see a classic comedy try Duck Soup and Annie Hall, but this is really funny and not only that but the film does have it's heart firmly in the right place.

Like Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey this is one of the best underrated comedies and a true hidden gem.