Ricky Stanicky – A Bland Throwback Comedy (Early Review)

When anyone thinks of classic 1990s and early 2000s comedies, one of the first names that comes to mind is writer/director Peter Farrelly. Responsible for some of the most prominent comedies in that time frame, he took a left turn with the divisive Green Book but now, he is back with a throwback to his earlier work with Ricky Stanicky. Be it familiarity, or nostalgia, it brings a certain sense of comfort though that often works both ways. What may be familiar or nostalgic to one, will be somewhat predictable to another, therefore what can set a film apart is its execution. Not trying to be something that it is not, the film embraces this by choosing to stay in the same lane, for better or worse. While its path was a predictable one, it wasn’t without its fun moments, most of them coming from John Cena as the titular character, and he was definitely a character. Operating on a different level from everyone else and everything else going on, he steals the show. However, the rest of the film fails to reach his level and simply pales in comparison.

Where Ricky Stanicky fails at right away was having Ricky play a supporting character in another character’s story. Instead, the story revolves around a trio of lifelong friends named Dean (Efron), JT (Santino), and Wes (Fowler) and Ricky Stanicky, the imaginary friend they made up as kids to scapegoat so they could get out of trouble. Now as adults, Stanicky continued to be used as an excuse or alibi for their immature behavior or to get out of their obligations. A perfect system for them, it was only a matter of time until it came crumbling down. The early signs came when their respective significant others grew suspicious of their so-called childhood friend and wanted to meet the man who Dean, JT, and Wes have hyped up and embellished for years. In order for them to get by this time, Ricky would need to be real and therefore be brought him to life, and for that they a hired washed-up actor and raunchy celebrity impersonator named Rod (Cena) who they met by chance while using Stanicky as a means to get away. What seemed like a plan that was destined to fail turned out to be the complete opposite as Rod saw the role as his big break, taking it more seriously than they ever thought possible.

Like flicking a switch, Rod transformed into a completely different person, living up to the persona the others created and then some. What was meant to be a short stint turned into so much more as Rod proved to be more intelligent as he let on as he charmed his way into Dean, JT, and Wes’ lives. Giving him all the tools he needed to be successful, he unwittingly became a problem they just couldn’t get rid of the more Rod became entrenched into their lives, abandoning the script and taking Ricky to improbable lengths. Having most people fooled, his comical rise was entertaining to watch but not everyone was entertained. Watching a physical manifestation of what they created get out of control, regret set in as they wish they hadn’t created Ricky in the first place. Ultimately, Dean, JT, and Wes did not matter all that much in terms of the story as a whole as the time they spent faced with their creation led to plenty of introspection.

Still living as if they were those same children who created Ricky, there was of course a lesson to be had somewhere in there as there would come a moment where the three friends faced some consequences, needing to learn to grow up and finally take responsibility for their actions. Thankfully not just a plot device used to facilitate some sort of redemption angle for Dean, JT, and Wes, Rod/Ricky found a happy ending of his own (no pun intended). Boasting thin and dull characters for the most part, the impact of whatever redemption angle the film wanted for them was essentially non-existent. It provided little reason to care about any of the characters other than Rod/Ricky.

With a script that does deliver some laughs, the premise was interesting but it and the story could never quite come together. Doing no more to develop the main characters than a rushed introduction, it lacks enough of a compelling bridge between the past and the present. As a result, the only highlight is the aforementioned Cena as Rod/Ricky. Bringing so much charm, charisma, and energy, it felt like he was acting in a different film altogether as the rest of the film failed to reach his level. That blatant contrast only accentuated those flaws. That being said, Cena was so fun to watch that it helps make up for or hide those issues. Showing some impressive comedic range, the role of Rod/Ricky was a meaty one where he slipped into near-flawlessly. As far as everyone else was concerned, they were fine in spite of being thin and so blandly written.

In the end, Ricky Stanicky is a decent throwback comedy that fails to bring an interesting premise together with a worthy story to support it, in spite of John Cena’s valiant efforts.

still courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.