Ricky Stanicky

Starring: Zac Efron, John Cena, Andrew Santino, Jermaine Fowler, William H. Macy, Lex Scott Davis, Anja Savcic, Jeff Ross, Debra Lawrance
Directed by: Peter Farrelly
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
2024

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Three friends (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, Jermaine Fowler) have spent their lives using their made-up friend "Ricky Stanicky" to get them out of trouble. When their families insist on meeting the mysterious friend, they hire a troubled actor (John Cena) to play the role.

Review:

Tim: I'll admit up front- I probably liked Ricky Stanicky a bit more than I should have. I thought the film was decent, even when myriad flaws were staring me right in the face. I do think context matters with movies and it feels like it's been so long since we got an attempt at an R-rated comedy. We used to have multiple movies like this every year, but those days feel long gone. Maybe it's the new world we live in- political correctness (not in itself a bad thing) plays a more prominent role and the fear of being "cancelled" (whether true or not) does hang over those in entertainment's heads. I'm not sure if those factors have resulted in fewer comedies making their way to our homes, but I felt a sense of relief and refreshment that Peter Farrelly was at least attempting an R-rated comedy. This film has a ton of flaws, but I still appreciated the attempt. I had fun watching this movie, even during the times when I knew I shouldn't.

The film gives us a high concept that requires a lot of suspending disbelief. Three friends have used the imaginary "Ricky Stanicky" to get out of all sorts of trouble and obligations throughout their entire lives. They're so committed to the con that they've written a "bible" containing all the information about their made-up friend. Through a series of convenient events, it comes to a head- their families and friends demand the opportunity to meet the famous Ricky. This coincides with them meeting a down-on-his-luck actor who they turn to in desperation- read the bible, pretend to be Ricky Stanicky for a few days. What could go wrong? Of course, many things do and that's where the comedy comes in. The whole concept is a bit of a stretch and most of the film's events are beyond absurd. So little here is actually rooted in reality, it all comes across as pretty stupid. This is frustrating, because you can make a comedy that feels more closely tethered to reality. That doesn't happen here- the script asks the audience to forgive and look past a great deal. But, the whole thing mostly feels harmless and it's pretty fun.

I mostly like Zac Efron and he was solid in this role. He's made these kinds of comedies before and it mostly works with him as the straight man, although he's more than willing to look ridiculous when it counts. I feel like it's been a while since I've seen Efron- he's not as young as I remember. He gives a solid performance, though. John Cena is definitely the scene-stealer throughout this film. I've reluctantly had to admit Cena has been growing on me, year after year. His willingness to throw himself into a completely ridiculous role is admirable. He's not a great actor, but he's a very committed one, and that is endearing. Cena is definitely the best part of this film- he's entertaining, absurd, and happy to be the butt of a joke. The film is itself is surprisingly not that funny- many jokes fall flat. But, there's something truly entertaining about Cena's brazen willingness to throw himself completely into a role like this. Andrew Santino was fine- I feel like he's probably a better comedian than an actor. He never wowed me with his performance, but he was part of some of the film's funnier moments. Jermaine Fowler felt like too much of an afterthought. His character needed more screen time and more development. It felt unfair for him to be the third wheel of this friend group. I loved William H. Macy and his absurd role here. He definitely went all-in on looking ridiculous. Macy's character wasn't well written, but did account for some of the film's more memorable moments. Lex Scott Davis gave a solid performance, but I wish she was given more to do. "The girlfriend" isn't a great role. I did love seeing Jeff Ross in an over-the-top performance. He's one of the funniest guys ever and his energy helped the film. As a whole, the cast was solid, but not top notch.

I had fun watching Ricky Stanicky, but I was surprised that the movie wasn't all that funny. When you compare this film to some of the classics Peter Farrelly directed, you see a clear drop-off. I'm sure I laughed a few times, but there's really no outstanding, break-out moments. So many of the jokes fall flat or cause you to roll your eyes. The script isn't great, asking way too much of the audience. You just kind of have to turn your mind off to the flaws, which is never ideal. This is the kind of film that was somewhat entertaining to watch, but there's not enough here for me to even think about watching it again- why on Earth would I? It was decent, but there's many, many better comedies out there. Still, I appreciate the effort and we need more movies like this!

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Blockers, Playing with Fire, Neighbors; Me, Myself, and Irene; Stuck on You