"The Ringer" is an Insult to Mentally Challenged

Rating: 3/10 (24 December 2005)

I saw this movie unwillingly, and think my misgivings were well-placed. The movie is funny, and if for a moment you can forget about its subject matter, you may find yourself laughing. There is a weak attempt in the end to salvage the theme that mentally challenged people are just like us, but the movie is carried by the antics of the people competing in the Special Olympics and those of Johnny Knoxville's character as he tries to act mentally challenged. The humor in this movie is completely unacceptable- despite its attempts to show things in a good light, it all plays on existing stereotypes of mentally challenged people. For example Johnny Knoxville's character loses control if he thinks he may be discovered as a fake; he throws pickle jars, tries to hit people and starts yelling "Jeffy likes apples!" His actions may save his character, but they do nothing but provide the audience a reason to laugh at people who really do act like this. I have a cousin who is mentally challenged, and I have volunteered working with mentally challenged youth- this movie disgusts me, and does not do justice to the mentally challenged anywhere. The only aspect I was pleased with is the positive light that volunteering at the Special Olympics is shown in- perhaps it will inspire others to volunteer, and appreciate the program not for its humor, but what it does for mentally challenged people.