The Ringer

Everyone is different. Physical disability only stops you achieving your dreams if you let it. Appearances can be deceptive. Never stick your hand in an electric mower.

The key tenets of Barry W Blaustein's comedy - about a man who fakes a neurological condition to cheat his way onto the podium at a major sporting event - are rammed home without any attempt at subtlety.

Aside from occasional forays into bad taste humour and a tepid romantic subplot, The Ringer would make an fine promotional video for the Special Olympics.

It should come as little surprise that The Ringer is executive produced by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, who shattered taboos with their comedies There's Something About Mary, Shallow Hal and Stuck On You.

Nice guy Steve (Knoxville) allows himself to be blackmailed by his gambling addict uncle Gary (Cox), who has devised a brilliant swindle: To fix the results of the Special Olympics.

To achieve his objective, Steve reinvents himself as "intellectually challenged" athlete Jeffy Dahmor and worms his way into the Olympic Village, where he develops a crush on volunteer Lynn (Heigl).

The genuine athletes, including Steve's roommate Billy (Barbanell), soon rumble the deception.

However, they don't expose the sham because they sense an opportunity for glory: Namely to defeat egomaniac six-time champion pentathlete Jimmy (Flowers).

With Jeffy as their talisman, fellow competitors Glen (Rees), Thomas (Chott), Winston (Arend) and Mark (Howze) learn a valuable life lesson about friendship.

Meanwhile, Steve realises that he has the potential to be a winner after all.

Knoxville is an endearing leading man but his "impersonation" of a special needs athlete is so pitiful, it's laughable that Jeffy isn't exposed sooner.

Cox has a ball in a scene-stealing supporting role and real-life Special Olympians join professional actors in embodying the quirks and eccentricities of the competitors.

Jeffy and his chums are winners: The Ringer is a bit of an also-ran.