Bringing in a Ringer

Last month the poster to my left was used to preview and premiere a new comedy, which debuted to mixed review and pretty poor box office. This Johnny Knoxville comedy was about two guys who decide to rig the Special Olympics to pay off a debt by having one of them, Steve (Knoxville), pose as a contestant in the games, hoping to dethrone reigning champion, Jimmy. Mentally-challenged high jinks and hilarity surely follow. The poster seems to explain the premise pretty well without giving too much away.

Sounds like a pretty funny episode of South Park from a few years ago. I'm not quite sure how well it works with flesh and blood actors instead of animated felt cut-outs, but I do have a friend who saw it and didn't think it was totally without merit.

This week I noticed that the advertisement in my paper (a little rag called the Los Angeles Times) had changed. I asked my friend at work if there were any scenes in The Ringer where they wore cowboy hats. He said, "No."

"Odd ad," I thought. Not because I didn't get the joke of the new ad. I just think it's a surprising choice.

If you are going to parody another film that is out on the market in your advertising, wouldn't you pick one that was doing better business? Do they really think that associating themselves with Brokeback Mountain is bringing to The Ringer the ringer it needs? I just don't see it.

Worse, what if you don't get the joke and go see The Ringer and really like it? I think you are going to be disappointed if you follow it up with a viewing of Brokeback hoping for the same "type" of movie experience.

Maybe they don't really care; any attention the film gets is probably going to help it's bottom line and apparently it needs a lot of help.