The Farrelly brothers are being touted as the creative forces behind this screwball comedy, which certainly bears more than a passing resemblance to their previous work. It should be noted, however, that the siblings responsible for There's Something About Mary serve merely as producers on this project. The director is Barry Blaustein, who helmed the wrestling documentary Behind the Mat, while Family Guy scribe Ricky Blitt supplies the dialogue. That the end result is virtually indistinguishable from the Farrellys' previous output is a comment on either the producers' power or the director's and writer's lack of creativity.
Knoxville is surprisingly endearing as Steve, a depressed office clerk whose life is turned upside down when he tries to help a poor janitor at work. In trademark Farrelly fashion, Stavi the custodian loses several fingers in a lawn-mowing accident. Because neither Steve nor Stavi have the resources to pay for the digits to be reattached, our protagonist resorts to some rather unorthodox methods.
When Steve's gambling-addicted uncle, Gary (Cox), comes up with a shameless plot to get the necessary funds, he begrudgingly agrees. Steve will use his modicum of acting and physical talents to pose as a mentally handicapped athlete and infiltrate the Special Olympics. Assuming the identity of Jeffy Dahmor (with an "O"), Steve will fix the games while his uncle bets on the outcome. I don't know what the practicality of such a scam would be, but usually when such basic laws of humanity are flaunted, either comedy or tragedy follows.
The rest of the story unfolds in predictable fashion (you didn't think Steve would actually get away with it, did you?), but the cast proves irresistibly charming. As per the Farrelly formula, taboos are broken, then stripped to reveal the pretenses underneath. The actors who play the eclectic group of disabled athletes lend them humor and humanity, especially Jed Rees, who was also a highlight in the disappointing Elizabethtown.
Despite the perseverance of the auteur theory, motion pictures are a collaborative medium. Perhaps the Farrellys' influence was felt just enough to make it seem they had a more direct hand in making the movie. Or maybe they're just not that hard to imitate.