The Ringer
A debt-driven con turns an unlikely athlete into the emotional underdog of a rigged competition.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- outrageous
- warm
- lazy sunday
- group comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film well-intentioned and occasionally funny, but too predictable to fully realize its comic and inclusive aims.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The plot places intellectual-disability characters at the center of the ensemble while the film emphasizes their talents, personalities, and humanity.
Steve enters the Special Olympics under false pretenses as part of an operation designed to pay off a debt and dethrone Jimmy.
Steve begins as an impostor pursuing a financial objective but becomes embedded in the contestants' social world.
The film uses Farrelly-style high-jinks while treating its disabled characters with affection and respect.
Films like The Ringer, and why
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
shared outrageous comedy, outsider protagonists, and redemptive warmth beneath provocative humor
Stuck on You
shared Farrelly-style physical comedy, unconventional characters, and unexpectedly affectionate treatment of outsiders
The Benchwarmers
shared sports underdog structure, broad comic set pieces, and a mismatched team pursuing an unlikely victory
Movie Details
- Director
- Barry W. Blaustein
- Release Date
- 2005-12-23
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (365)
Cast
- Johnny Knoxville
- Brian Cox
- Katherine Heigl
- Geoffrey Arend
- Edward Barbanell
- Bill Chott
- Leonard Flowers
- Leonard Earl Howze
- Jed Rees
- John Taylor
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Ringer about?
- A debt-driven con turns an unlikely athlete into the emotional underdog of a rigged competition.
- What is The Ringer like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Ringer as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Ringer violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Ringer as mild.
- What did critics think of The Ringer?
- Critics broadly found the film well-intentioned and occasionally funny, but too predictable to fully realize its comic and inclusive aims.
- Which films are like The Ringer?
- Films with a similar feel include DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, Stuck on You, and The Benchwarmers.
- How long is The Ringer?
- The Ringer runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Ringer?
- In United States, The Ringer is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
