A One Mann’s Movies review of “Ricky Stanicky” (2024).
It’s just amazing how new releases will follow trends. 2022 was the year of the Multiverse. Last year was the year of AI. This year, we seem to have a glut of films about Imaginary Friends! Last week I reviewed “Imaginary“: a horror film about an imaginary friend. In mid-May we are due to get “IF” – probably the big-hitter for the year, starring Ryan Reynolds. But before that, we have this film – “Ricky Stanicky” – currently streaming on Prime Video. It’s a Peter Farrelly comedy, which is as near to a game of movie Russian Roulette as you can get! Despite making the superb “Green Book” and some genuinely funny gross-out comedies (“There’s Something About Mary”, “Dumb and Dumber”), he’s also delivered films of extremely dubious taste including “Shallow Hal”, “Me, Myself and Irene”, “Movie 43” and “Dumb and Dumber To”.
This one I found watchable… but only just.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
To get themselves out of trouble with the cops, three kids invent an imaginary character called Ricky Stanicky to take the fall for them. Now, all grown up, the men still use the deceit of Ricky being a living breathing person in order to let them do things they don’t want their partners to find out about.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: “Strong sex references, language, drug misuse”.)
Talent:
Starring: Zac Efron, John Cena, Andrew Santino, Jermaine Fowler, Lex Scott Davis, Anja Savcic.
Directed by: Peter Farrelly.
Written by: Jeffrey Bushell, Brian Jarvis, James Lee Freeman, Peter Farrelly, Pete Jones & Mike Cerrone. (Based on a story by David Occhino & Jason Decker.)
Twitter Handle: #RickyStanicky.
Running Time: 1h 53m.
Whoop… Stanicky (John Cena) did it again. (Source: Prime Video).
“Ricky Stanicky” Review:
Positives:
- As a story, the film has some legs. I really enjoyed the pre-titles sequence, setting up the rest of the story. I thought it was a neat idea and was keen to see how it unfolded.
- There were one or two moments in the film that made me laugh. (One in particular made me spontaneously guffaw but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was and I’m NOT watching this film again to find out!)
Negatives:
- Most of this film was a laugh-free-zone for me I’m afraid. Given the ARMY of writers in the team, I don’t understand why there couldn’t have been more funny scenes in here, given the workable premise.
- With a Farrelly-brothers film, you know that your bad taste alarm is going to go off a few times. Here there is a general bad taste in the mouth about grown men so consistently lying to the partners that they purportedly love. Yes, they shown remorse… but only after they are found out. And if rock-classics flipped to masturbation lyrics are ‘your thing’ then you’ll probably find these scenes with John Cena hilarious.
Party animal Stanicky goes down a storm. (Source: Prime Video).
Summary Thoughts on “Ricky Stanicky”
It’s a comedy that’s simply not funny enough. Nice idea… shame about the execution.
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Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “Ricky Stanicky”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXpBN_31-Cw .
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