This being a very piss poor year for the Oscars with me pretty much being out of the picture and all, I decided to look at a film that fails to meet the Academy’s expectations in every single way. It’s called The Ringer. First off, I want to say that Johnny Knoxville gives a helluva performance as a mentally-challenged guy. Unfortunately, his supporting cast doesn’t pull their weight. In fact, the actors portraying the other Special Olympians in the movie should be ashamed. Their performances are laughable at best and damn well demeaning at worst. Have these people never met a REAL mentally-handicapped person in their lives!? I was sick to my stomach watching these hacks stumble and mumble their way through the script. “Trying too hard” could be an excuse, but that’s hard to swallow for a master of the craft such as myself, Tom Hanks, Leo Dicaprio, or Giovanni Ribisi. Look, portraying a mentally-challenged character is usually a sure-fired path to an Oscar nod...But you supporting actors in The Ringer messed it up for yourselves and your able-acting lead. My advice to you all is to rent I am Sam, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Forrest Gump, and The Other Sister and see how mentally-handicapped people really live.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
