Ricky Stanicky; BFF With that Nonexistent Bud of Childhood

When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble! Twenty years after creating this ‘friend,’ Dean, JT, and Wes (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler) still use the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. When their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet the fabled Mr. Stanicky, the guilty trio decide to hire washed-up actor and raunchy celebrity impersonator “Rock Hard” Rod (John Cena) to bring him to life. But when Rod takes his role of a lifetime too far, they begin to wish they’d never invented Ricky in the first place.

REVIEW:

In Ricky Stanicky director Peter Farrelly (of Green Book fame-infamy) tries to bring back some of the shock comedy he was famous for doing in tandem with his brother Bobby. Shockingly to say he’s been more shocking.

The Stanicky of the title is an imaginary scapegoat and excuse conjured up by three childhood pals- Dean, Wes and JT (Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler and Andrew Santino) who now use him as their adult alibi to their wives for their frequent bro only vacations. When one trip goes sideways, Stanicky becomes a demi-hero, and when prodded to prove Stanicky’s reality turns into the buff failed actor Rod Rimestead (John Cena) who makes a marginal living doing cover songs of pop classics with the lyrics changed to focus on masturbation fantasies.

Cena is the major saving grace for this listless Farrelly effort that had many dumb down rewrites and stars since its lofty origins of being declared one of the best un-produced screenplays of 2010. James Franco was originally attached, then Joaquin Phoenix, than Jim Carrey. There are echoes of all three in Cena’s performance, which is the most exuberant and method invested of his career.

The character a broke, filthy minded, sweating boozer of a failure still clinging to delusions of grandeur and actorly integrity certainly provides some opportunities. Rod has a hustler’s ability to read and exploit a room. He has his character down pat and is prepared for any situation. Cena is able to take this mostly incoherent creation and give it a layered persona, make it a fragile construction of confidence, ego, vulnerability and neediness.

The second half of Ricky Stanicky tries to become a social mobility farce. It tries to turn Rod’s weakness into strengths, and show why how these can make him a corporate success. It’s not fully convincing. The attempts to reign Rod in from Dean and JT (who see Rod as a job threat) come off as petty and mean. Rod’s pleads for corporate authenticity becomes a shallow marketing tactic when adopted by the other executives.

The shocking bits involving a bris and dogs simulating human sexual positions are shot and edited carelessly . They’re pretty cringe. Even the soundtrack is a distracting annoyance. Only Cena’s bit are funny.