THE RINGER
US, 2005, 94 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Knoxville, Brian Cox, Katherine Heigl, Bill Chott, Edward Barnabell, Leonard Flowers.
Directed by Bruce W. Blaustein.
A very pleasant surprise.
Not knowing that the film was a comedy about the Special Olympics but knowing that Johnny Knoxville was the star meant that I was anticipating a cross between Jackass and The Dukes of Hazard. I was wrong. Again, I did not know that the Farrelly Brothers were the producers but as the film went along, it definitely seemed Farrelly Brothers’ material. They push the envelope, they say, in terms of subjects for their films, political correctness and good taste. They have ventured into the area of mental challenge in There’s Something About Mary and Me, Myself and Irene. They made comedy of obesity in Shallow Hal and Siamese twins in Stuck on You. These are topics that make the average audience alert to sympathy for those with physical and mental disabilities rather uncomfortable. Should these be topics of comedy? Do they exploit the challenged?
These comedies make the point that there is a danger of condescension in the concern about what is permissible for humour or not. There is the danger of a paternalistic/maternalistic superiority of ‘doing good’ for those less fortunate. The challenged (and that word raises these problems in itself) want respect (and the final credits song highlights this) not velvet glove attempts at inoffensiveness. Three of the main characters in this film are veterans of the Special Olympics and the film has the blessing and participation of the Special Olympics Association.
Johnny Knoxville plays against his screen image so far. He sees himself as a loser. But he is quite a sensitive type – which gets him into a tangle: a debt of $28,000 to help a friend for an operation to sew his mower-clipped fingers back on. He also has a lowlife uncle who gambles. What if he pretended to be mentally disabled, challenged the champion and his uncle bet a fortune on the result?
Brian Cox as the uncle gets the chance to say some appallingly funny prejudiced remarks and satirise the ignorantly insensitive. Katherine Heigl is charming as one of the workers with the Special Olympics team. The team is presented as a humorous bunch who also get the chance to say some outrageously incorrect statements.
But, the whole film is quite funny, rather sweet in the way that everything works out, including telling the truth. It proves that humour, once again, is a great means for overcoming prejudice and helping people appreciate one another as they are.
1.Impact of the film? Comic serious, good taste, political correctness? The films of the Farrelly brothers?
2.Credibility of the plot? Realistic touches? Steve’s situation, his uncle? Bets and threats? Steve’s world and the workplace? His uncle’s?
3.The world of Special Olympics? The association’s approval for the film? The organisation? The training and the games? The athletes and their bonds, rivalries? Steve entering into their world and the audience going with him – but knowing of his deceit?
4.The financial situation and Gary’s pressure on Steve? Steve being unwilling? What persuaded him?
5.The issues of paternalism and ‘doing good’ to ‘those less fortunate’? The disabled characters being able to assert themselves?
6.Steve and his sensitivity? The issue of sacking the workers? The issue of Stavi and his liking him? the accident and its effect, pain, hospital, the insurance? Steve visiting Stavi in hospital? The family, children, their financial difficulties? Their gratitude to him? Steve and his feeling guilty? Undetaking to pay all the bills?
6.Gary, a gambler, his crooked connections, his betting? Gary and his wanting money from Steve? Steve and his wanting help from Gary? Gary and his watching the television, the Special Olympics? Watching Jimmy and the interviews? His decision to get Steve to impersonate one of the athletes?
7.Steve, his reaction to Gary’s suggestion? His reluctance? His athletics background? Pretending to have learning difficulties? Gary being sure that Steve would win? However – the bet that Jimmy would not win? The presentation of the loan sharks, the betting moguls?
8.Steve and his becoming Jeffie? His meeting the fellow athletes, sharing the room with Bill? His consistency in manner, the mannerisms of the learning-impaired? His meeting with Lyn, attracted towards her, his going to lunch with her? The discovery of her boyfriend?
9.The athletics, the training, the athletes being better than Steve? His having to train? His interactions with Bill in the room, Bill and his smart lines? Steve as an impostor, the confrontation? His confession?
10.Jimmy, arrogant, sure that he would win, his successive victories? His lording it over the others? The group determined to beat Jimmy?
11.Bill and his character, Glenn? The range of the team? Their various disabilities? Their helping Steve with the training, the hard regime? Bonded with the group – sharing with them? The food, the jokes?
12.Steve taking the group to the movies, seeing Lyn’s boyfriend, the other woman? The confrontation? Letting Lyn know the truth? Her reaction?
13.The Special Olympics, Gary’s hopes? Steve and the confrontation with Jimmy, Jimmy and his success? The hurdles, Jimmy falling, Steve helping him? Gary’s desperation? The irony that one of the impaired-learning athletes wins? The happy ending – Gary and Steve winning the money because Jimmy did not win? Steve and his confession to Lyn – and the public confession for all to hear? Lyn’s reaction?
14.Steve, his working in the play, the group, Shakespeare? Their bringing Lyn to the rehearsal, her seeing what Steve had done? The reconciliation?
15.A sympathetic presentation of learning-impaired men? The role of the Special Olympics and the achievement? Steve and his bridging both worlds? Lyn and her care for those in need? Her boyfriend and the callous attitudes? Gary and his sailing through life successfully?
