Ricky Stanicky is a surprisingly solid if unremarkable comedy that produces a decent amount of laughs.
The central conceit is really good with lots of great comedic potential. Unfortunately this potential is only really realised through the characters and not the story, the latter of which is a bit lacklustre.
After a strong set up I think the plot just started to lose its way a bit and it failed to keep me gripped. The laughs slowly deteriorate as it struggles to keep momentum, and the way the story pans out just feels a bit unsatisfactory and mediocre. It also overstays its welcome slightly with a near two hour runtime, which is rarely justified for a comedy.
The characters though, namely John Cena, are great. He pulls another great comedic performance out of the bag with a really funny performance, elevating the sometimes mediocre material to new heights. Efron, Santino, and Fowler are all really solid co-leads, but it's Cena's show and rightly so.
So if you're looking for a light and breezy comedy with some good laughs, Ricky Stanicky should deliver. It isn't going to set the world alight, but is worth watching for Cena's performance alone.
The central conceit is really good with lots of great comedic potential. Unfortunately this potential is only really realised through the characters and not the story, the latter of which is a bit lacklustre.
After a strong set up I think the plot just started to lose its way a bit and it failed to keep me gripped. The laughs slowly deteriorate as it struggles to keep momentum, and the way the story pans out just feels a bit unsatisfactory and mediocre. It also overstays its welcome slightly with a near two hour runtime, which is rarely justified for a comedy.
The characters though, namely John Cena, are great. He pulls another great comedic performance out of the bag with a really funny performance, elevating the sometimes mediocre material to new heights. Efron, Santino, and Fowler are all really solid co-leads, but it's Cena's show and rightly so.
So if you're looking for a light and breezy comedy with some good laughs, Ricky Stanicky should deliver. It isn't going to set the world alight, but is worth watching for Cena's performance alone.