The Big Picture

John Cena shines in
Ricky Stanicky
, proving his versatility in this raunchy and goofy genre.
The film’s humor avoids stereotypes, offering a surprisingly sweet and genuine experience without playing it safe.
While the film lacks consistency in tone and falls short in some jokes, it offers harmless entertainment.

Peter Farrelly might now be known as the man behind the controversial Best Picture winner Green Book, but he wasn’t always known for directing Oscar bait. He and his brother Bobby Farrelly got their start in the mid-to-late 90s with comedy classics such as Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, and Kingpin. But after a string of lackluster comedies such as The Heartbreak Kid remake, Hall Pass, The Three Stooges, and the disappointing sequel Dumb and Dumber To, the Farrellys took a break from the big screen.

Now Farrelly is returning to the genre that made him a star with the raunchy R-rated comedy Ricky Stanicky. The movie has languished in development hell for over a decade, with various actors such as James Franco, Jim Carrey, and even Joaquin Phoenix attached to star. Now, Farrelly has reunited with his Greatest Beer Run Ever star Zac Efron, who is coming off his acclaimed turn in The Iron Claw, and WWE superstar turned actor John Cena, for the comedy that is opting out of a theatrical release and instead heading straight to Prime Video. Ricky Stanicky has the feel of the kind of comedy that would have been a decent hit at the box office over a decade ago, but times have changed, and theatrical comedies have become a dying breed.

What Is ‘Ricky Stanicky’ About?

The film opens on Halloween night in 1998 when best friends Dean, Rod, and JT accidentally set a house on fire in a prank gone wrong. To avoid getting in trouble with their parents and the law, the trio leaves behind a sweater with the name “Ricky Stanicky” written on the collar. From then on, the boys have used Ricky Stanicky as a scapegoat, not only to avoid getting in trouble but to also get away from their friends and family.

Now, as adults, Dean (Efron), Rod (Jermaine Fowler), and JT (Andrew Santino) are still using their made-up friends to avoid their responsibilities. To avoid repeating lies, the three have also devised a “bible” containing every piece of information on their imaginary friend. On the day of JT’s wife’s baby shower, the three claim to their loved ones that Ricky’s cancer has returned and that they’re flying out to visit him. In actuality, they’re heading to a concert after a co-worker gave them his tickets. When JT misses the birth of his son, the boys’ families become even more suspicious, demanding to meet Ricky Stanicky in person.

Luckily, it just so happens that while attending the concert, the friends cross paths with Rock-Hard Rod (Cena), a struggling, alcoholic actor who spends his days performing sex parodies of popular songs. Rod ends up going cold turkey and flies out to JT’s son’s Brit Milah, and much to the friends’ shock, ends up charming their friends, family, and even their stuck-up boss (William H. Macy). The longer Rod sticks around, the more he begins to invade not only their personal lives, but also the professional lives of the ones they love.

‘Ricky Stanicky’ Is a Throwback to Farrelly’s Early Work

It’s not too hard to imagine a movie like Ricky Stanicky coming out around the same time as those like Dodgeball and White Chicks. The comedy has the right mix of raunchy sex jokes and pure slapstick comedy, and while there is a fair amount that falls flat, you can’t help but appreciate the nostalgic vibes the movie gives off. Calling Ricky Stanicky a great movie would certainly be a stretch. Outside of Cena’s bold and zany performance, there’s nothing that remarkable about any of it. However, when compared to other comedies released in the streaming era, such as Me Time and The Bubble, which were also made by veterans of the genre, this could have been far, far worse.

There’s a sincerity to Ricky Stanicky amid all the shenanigans. Every single actor here looks like they are having the time of their lives on-screen. The movie even has a surprising amount of heart to it. Some of that can be credited to the fact that the humor never feels as if it is punching down. While many of the characters behave like total idiots and do morally questionable things, the comedy doesn’t feel as lazy as you might expect. It’s established early on in the movie that Fowler’s Rod is gay, and while other comedies would try to resort to making a series of gay-panic jokes or making a big deal out of the character’s sexuality, it completely avoids that and instead has him acting just as goofy as the rest of the characters.

On a tonal level, Ricky Stanicky is a complete mess. While Farrelly’s recent prestige fare did mix in a healthy amount of laughs, his pure comedies primarily stuck to being goofy romps. This comedy tries to mix in some drama, particularly involving Efron’s past, but it comes across as jarring, bringing down the silly tone for just a few minutes before shifting right back to slapstick humor.

John Cena Proves Once Again He Has a Knack for Comedy in ‘Ricky Stanicky’
Image via Prime Video

Much like Farrelly himself, Cena has had an interesting career. While he initially followed the path of many other pro-wrestlers turned movie stars and starred in forgettable and generic action fodder, he began to truly shine in supporting roles in comedies such as Sisters and Trainwreck. However, it was his role as Peacemaker that brought him to new levels. Not only did he get to show off his comedic chops, but he also proved that he is much more than a muscular, silly dude-bro.

Cena’s role here is similar to his role in the Vacation Friends movies, but it also doesn’t feel like he’s playing the same character. Cena dials up the goofiness to new levels, and he truly shines the brightest in the sequences that have him dressing up in flamboyant costumes and singing about masturbation. Sure, it’s extremely sophomoric, but seeing Cena dressed up as Britney Spears and licking booze off the ground or playing the accordion while dogs hump each other is just as hilarious as it sounds.

Despite playing the protagonists, Efron, Fowler, and Santino seem to have no issue dialing back some of their comedic sensibilities to let Cena truly flourish. Efron plays your typical straight man, but his charisma still shines through. This is nowhere near the level that we saw from him in the Neighbors movies, but fresh after his incredible work in last year’s The Iron Claw, it’s more proof that he’s an incredibly versatile actor who is much more than just a pretty face. Not everyone can go from an acclaimed dramatic role to a goofy R-rated comedy.

Ricky Stanicky could have easily been a disaster, but thanks to the cast, some effective laughs, and a big heart, it ends up making for an entertaining two hours. There’s nothing offensively bad, nor will this end up being the greatest comedy of the year. It’s perfectly harmless and will fit right in on Prime Video where it may just find an audience.

Ricky Stanicky REVIEWRicky Stanicky is forgettable goofy fun, that is elevated by John Cena’s go-fo-broke performance.ProsJohn Cena once again shows his terrific comedic timing with a zany and bold performance.The humor avoids punching down, but still maintains an edge that doesn’t play things too safe.There’s a surprising sweetness to the movie that makes it feel much more genuine than you might expect. ConsThe tone is all over the place, with several sub-plots feeling jarring and out-of-place.There are a good number of jokes that fall flat and nobody else in the cast can get on Cena’s level.

Ricky Stanicky is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S. starting March 7.

WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO