Ringmaster

Jerry Farrelly runs a successful television chat show that revels in unusual relationships – but even he is left flabbergasted by some of the issues that come onto his show. While he tries to explain the popularity of his show, several groups of guest arrive for his newest show. Angel lives in a trailer with her mother and stepfather – but is sleeping with him! When her mother Connie finds out she gives Angel's boyfriend a blowjob in revenge. Meanwhile Starletta catches boyfriend Demond sleeping with both Vonda and Leshawnetta. The natural step for both groups is to appear on Jerry's show – even if it makes the conflict greater.

I started watching this film once but didn't review it because I gave it up as a bad job once it turned into nudity for nudity's sake, however I decided that I'd give it another try despite my better judgment. Of course, it is not any good but this is not to say that it was one of the worst films ever made because it wasn't. The plot focuses around two sets of trash that emulate the guests on Jerry's real show and this is part of the problem. The characters here seem to revel in ignorance and trashiness and it makes it hard to really care about any of them. This isn't helped by the fact that they have no real story to speak of – their bits are set up and then they all flirt/fight in the hotel on their way to the recording of the show.

Not enough happens to justify a 'story' so called so it resorts to 'sexy' clinches, fighting and vulgarity.

It is a shame because the film does have a few interesting moments – although you wouldn't think it from the reviewers on this site. One interesting point is the character of Connie; she is damaged and hurt and wants more than the vulgarity she has – but when the fighting and swearing happens, this interesting part of the character is forgotten aside from a few all too rare sensitive moments. The film has a few interesting lines about the show but it doesn't throw itself open enough, instead it uses its platform to defend itself and attack its critics; I don't mind it doing this but there was no balanced view to be had here – although it is hard to disagree with Jerry's speech near the end that defends the fact that people are like this…even if we don't like it. Parts of it are a little funny but this, and some other qualities are just lost in a plotless film that is vulgar rather than interesting and noisy rather than really funny.

The cast are average as you would expect from the material they are given. Hagan manages to create a few good moments but she is betrayed by the film for her good work. Pressly is very sexy – even as white trailer trash! She doesn't have much to do apart from be sexy, so it is just as well that she does it well. Robinson, Ambrose and Micheaux have all done some good jobs in other films/shows but here they are loud, brash black stereotypes and they embarrass themselves. Why action star White bothered to do this is beyond me, he has nothing to do apart from flirt around and get to kiss a couple of girls. McNamara is pretty good and sends himself and the show up equally well. Springer is so-so and he overdoes the 'world-weary' thing and never lets interesting moments, where he seems bothered, go anywhere of value. Like the material itself, the cast throw up some OK moments but these are lost in a sea of bad stuff.

Overall this is a bad film although it has moments that show it could have been more interesting (if not actually good per se). However, without a decent plot the interesting ideas/moments only occasionally float to the top by chance but the dominant qualities are ones of vulgarity, cheap titillation, fighting and ignorance – none of which are reason enough to watch it.

I'm not a regular viewer of Springer's, but I do watch his show in glimpses and I think the show is a fine guilty pleasure and a good way to kill some time. So naturally, I'm going to watch this movie expecting to see "Jerry Springer Uncensored." First of all, Jerry appears in approximately twenty minutes of the film's running time. The other hour and twenty minutes is spent building up this pseudo-farce about trailer-trash, jealousy, incest and deception. Jaime Pressley (who looks hot as HELLLL) is a trailer-trash slut who sleeps with her stepfather (a very unusual-looking, chain-smoking, drunken Michael Dudikoff who finally strays from his action hero persona). The mom finds out about the affair, they get into a fight, they want to take it to the "Jerry" show (that's right, no Springer). And then we have a parallel story with an African-American couple. They take it to the "Jerry" show. The characters collide. Blah, blah, freakin' blah! Trash has rarely been this BORRRINGG!!!! I was wondering why the hell Springer has millions of fans, yet none of them checked out his movie. Well, now it's TOTALLY obvious!! Whether you love him or hate him, you will hate this movie! How can I explain? It's a total mess of a motion picture (if that's what you call it). It's so badly edited, with scenes that just don't connect, and after a period of time the plot virtually disappears and it's simply all over the map! Just imagine a predictable soap opera transformed into a comic farce. With seldom laughs.

My only positive note is a hot girl-girl scene. That's as risque as it gets. Don't get me wrong, the scene's pretty risque, but if you look at the overall film comparing it to the material on Springer's program--this disastrous farce seems extremely sanitized.

My score: 3 (out of 10)

Yeah, the movie's bad. But I, for one, found it worth the price of admission just to see the sexy, exquisitely sculpted Michael Jai White, who appears in various states of undress throughout the film (his first scene--wow). Run, don't walk, to see him in all his fine glory on the big screen.

To preface this review, I must say that I was, I suppose, a little curious about this movie.. However, I probably would not have seen it had I not had my arm slightly twisted.

In my opinion, this movie shows just how depraved man can be. In my eyes, the worst thing about this whole Springer phenomenon is not that type of people on the "Jerry Springer Show" act as they do (which in itself is eminently reproachable), but that many people are so curious and excited to watch them and hear about their lives (yes, I suppose that includes me.. to whatever extent it is true). If not glorifying that kind of behavior (as some might say) at the very least we may be subtly corrupting our minds and/or desenstizing ourselves to this type of behavior.

But enough soapbox (sort of). Here's the skinny: the movie has an R rating, and while it may deserve only that (I did look away at some scenes, so I'm not completely sure), I feel that an NC-17 (tip of the hat to the other reviewer) might be a little more appropriate for the immense sexual content (a cynic might comment that the movie was just one big excuse to show sex on the big screen). The plot is very bizarre, tying together the stories of an absolutely dysfunctional family and a group of stereotypical blacks upset who will appear on different Springer shows. At the end, the movie leaves one with some resolvement- and Springer rhetoric about the need for us to see the real world (evidently as seen through his show). I agree with him there- it is important to know how the world really is so that we can seek to effect positive change. Having said that, let me just tell you- the world's pretty bad- glance in a newpaper or the news to see that, but let's not shell out good money to support the kind of sensationalistic and perhaps formulaic titallition that Springer seeks to give us.

The thing about this is, I am not a huge fan of the television talk show, Jerry Springer. I rented this film to watch the beautiful Jaime Pressly act, and I was happily surprised to realize that this was a hilarious film!

If you dont like sophmoric material, then mind your own business and dont rent this film. Although, you might be surprised at how well this is acted. Several of the young stars, including Jaime, and Wendy Robinson should definately be getting attention for their talent. The smart comebacks, and one-liners had me in stitches, and even the storyline was semi-believable. If you like Jerry, or even the cast, then you won't be disappointed. It was literally hilarious.