REVIEW: ‘Ricky Stanicky’ Should Have Remained Imaginary
Prime Video is set to release their new comedy, Ricky Stanicky, tomorrow, March 7. This new creation from director Peter Farrelly, follows a group of friends, who have utilized an imaginary friend, Ricky Stanicky, to get out of every misdeed they have ever done since they were children. However, when questions begin to be asked about their “friend” Ricky, their lie begins to quickly unravel for the trio. In a last ditch effort to cover up their lie, Dean (Zac Efron) comes up with the idea to hire a wannabe actor (John Cena) to play their imaginary friend. Much like other comedies who told similar stories, what seems like a good solution at the time, comes back to bite the trio in the butt when the wannabe actor decides to stop sticking to the lies and truly become Ricky Stanicky.
Ricky Stanicky is another film in a long line of bro comedies that follows that same old comedic narrative. Men lying about something in their lives to their significant others, attempting to cover it up with another life, and then it playing out in a raunchy journey as the lies begin to unravel. The blaring issue with this story though, is that the jokes never seem to be at the right time and the raunchiness never seems appropriate. Yes, I know, raunchiness is not supposed to be appropriate, but it should still fit comfortably into scenes. It shouldn’t feel forced or out of place. But, unfortunately, that is the case here. And, for those seeking comedic relief in other aspects of the movie, whether it be one-liners or moments of debauchery, these moments of comedic relief never feel as though they belong. It is almost as though the writers chose to insert these moments to fill up space, which made the film feel incomplete and essentially unfunny.
The worst part about the film is that the script doesn’t utilize its talented cast. Between Zac Efron, John Cena, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler this film should have been a comedic gem. The foursome has great chemistry with one another, but the script never lends itself to their talents. These four’s abilities as actors are wasted. If anything, this film makes me hope that we will see this cast or at least parings from this cast in future films because they have what it takes to make a really funny film. As for the rest of the cast, it’s the same story. William H. Macy, Lex Scott Davis, and Anja Savcic aren’t given enough material to showcase their abilities as well, which is a disappointment.
When the first trailer was released for Ricky Stanicky, the film looked absolutely ridiculous in the best way possible. John Cena playing a made up friend, alongside Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler seemed like a no brainer. But the end product was a tad bit too literal on the no brainer. I recommend passing on this one. Even though it is on Prime Video, it is not worth the watch.
Grade: D