Movie; Ricky Stanicky (2024) Caution Spoiler Alert

 Ricky Stanicky

Came out; 2024

Time; 1 hr 53 min

Watched: Prime

Rated: R for sexual material, language throughout and some drug content

IMDB Rating; 6.2/10

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Zac Efron as Dean

John Cena as Ricky Stanicky (Rod Rimestead)

Andrew Santino as JT

Lex Scott Davis as Erin

Anja Savcic as Susan

Jermaine Fowler as Wes

Story Line;

When three childhood best friends pull a prank that goes 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

Thoughts:

This looked like a fun movie based on the previews. I generally find John Cena as a good actor. He's really fun to watch, although he really is starting to look like Ernst!

This was generally a good buddy comedy movie.

A chance meeting gives 3 friends a face to their fake friend who they've blamed all their troubles on since childhood. John Cena plays a bumbling idiot who pulls himself together to pull it off until one mistake is said.

All in all, this was a pretty good movie and gave me some hard laughs.

CAUTION; Major Spoiler Alert

Three childhood friends (Dean (Zac Efron), Wes (Jermaine Fowler), and JT (Andrew Santino)) prank one of their neighbors on Halloween Night (in 1999( by lighting a bag of dog feces on fire and leaving it on their doorstep. The fire spreads to the neighbor's scarecrow. Failing to put out the fire, Dean writes the name "Ricky Stanicky" on one of their costume pieces, leading police to believe that Ricky Stanicky, an out-of-town kid, was responsible for the prank. Twenty years later, the trio continued to use Ricky Stanicky as their excuse to forego life obligations and avoid getting in trouble.

JT and his wife, Susan (Anja Savcic), are about to have a baby shower, and Dean and his girlfriend, Erin (Lex Scott Davis), have been setting it up. Dean gets a call from "Ricky" (who is really Wes), claiming that his testicular cancer is back, and that he is alone in Albany, New York. Erin and Susan encourage Dean and JT to spend time with Ricky. In reality, JT and Dean received tickets to see Marc Rebillet in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On their flight, the trio turn off their phones, post something as "Ricky", and write in their Bible of Ricky Stanicky, detailing all of what "Ricky Stanicky" has done.

While in Atlantic City, they meet Rock-Hard Rod (John Cena), an actor and impersonator who sings sex-based parodies of popular songs. Rod is a major mooch, and soon the friends tire of him and want to be rid of him. Dean feels bad about how Rod was treated and apologizes to him, and this is when Rod gives Dean his business card. Shortly after, Dean learns that Susan went into labor six weeks early, forcing them to hurry back. At the hospital, the trio learn that Susan already gave birth to a boy named Whitaker. JT's mother-in-law, Leona (Heather Mitchell), does not believe Ricky Stanicky is real. Wes almost tells everyone the truth, but Dean pivots by saying that Ricky lied in order to celebrate being 5 years cancer-free with his best friends. Leona tells the trio that Ricky is invited to Whitaker's Bris. It turns out that Wes has been using the Ricky gig to score some alone time for himself (at the pot milk farm) away from his partner Keith (Daniel Monks). Wes also told Keith that he dated Ricky (who he said was a bi), just in case he needed an out with Keith. While Wes believes that it is time for them to come clean, Dean decides to hire Rod to play Ricky Stanicky. The guys had a "Bible" on Ricky which had notes on every lie they told to their families about stuff they did with Ricky and share the same with Rod to bring him up to speed.

At the Bris, Rod impresses everyone with his personality and knowledge as "Ricky", including Leona, Carly (Erin's cousin), and Ted Summerhayes (William H. Macy) (Dean and JT's boss). Ricky riles Ted when he calls him an old school banker who works to make rich people richer. But Ted is also impressed when Ricky displays his knowledge of Ted's upcoming merger with World River. Ricky gives his stamp of approval to the merger. When Rod gives the trio the impression that he personally knows Carly's ex, Gary Polisner, they decide to drug Polisner with a Ketamine pill, but the Rabbi eats the pill instead. During the circumcision, the Rabbi Greenberg (Jeff Ross) has a reaction to the Ketamine, leaving Whitaker half-circumcised. Ricky uses Summerhayes' cigar cutter to complete the circumcision, causing everyone to celebrate.

The next day, Summerhayes reveals that in preparation for their merger with World River, a major company from San Francisco, he has hired Ricky Stanicky for $250,000 per year to advise on the World River deal. Dean and JT are angry as this is more than what they make. Erin also drops by, revealing that she scored a reporting gig for a local news channel's "Hero of the Week" segment, and is pursuing a story on Ricky and his alleged humanitarian efforts.

Dean & JT plan to get Ricky fired to get him out of their lives. Dean sets up Ricky to present his game changer idea to Ted for the World River merger. Summerhayes decides to start a charity organization per Ricky's suggestion and makes Ricky the head of the World River merger, replacing Dean. Ricky also tells Ted that he has an "Air-Dicking" habit when he gives presentations. Ted realizes that nobody listens to a word he says as they are distracted by his mannerisms on stage. Ted promotes Ricky as he believes Ricky tells him the truth. Rod has no idea about the merger and begins to record Dean to ask for advice. In anger, Dean tells him that he is Rod, not Ricky. Rod reveals that he legally changed his name to Richard Barbara Stanicky and tells Dean that he is thankful for being given a new life. Rod says that he cannot go back to Atlantic City as he will be killed for some things he did (including being in debt to some mafia types), which he doesn't remember as he was drunk. Dean is depressed, as he is going to lose his job and relationship with Erin once Ricky is proven to be a fraud.

The next day, there is a party between Summerhayes' company and World River, where they intend to watch the premiere of Ricky's "Hero of the Week" segment. Erin meets with Dean and tells him that she knows Ricky Stanicky is Rock-Hard Rod. Erin is heartbroken and says that it is too late for his apologies now. At the party, Summerhayes introduces Dean, who confesses to all the guests that Ricky Stanicky is fake, apologizing and promptly leaving the party.

The "Hero of the Week" story begins playing, and Rod tells the reporter about how he met Dean, and how the Ricky Stanicky Bible made him realize that he needed to change his life. As Summerhayes is about to fire Dean, the World River executives approach Summerhayes and enthusiastically approve of his choice to hire Ricky, ready to agree to a merger. Summerhayes asks Dean his thoughts, and they agree to the merger.

After learning the truth about Ricky, Susan tells JT he has to camp in the backyard for six months as punishment. Erin reveals to Dean that she decided to pursue the story about Rod becoming Ricky. Dean asks if she can forgive him. Erin states it will be difficult, but hearing Ricky's recording of Dean talking about his love and appreciation for Erin helps. At the party, Ricky tells the trio that Carly is now his fiance, and that they are all going to work on cleaning the environment on the weekend.

During the credits, videos and pictures are shown with Ricky and others cleaning, Carly donating her hair to children, Wes becoming a published author, JT brushing his teeth outside near his Porta-potty while Susan and Whitaker watch, everyone posing at Dean and Erin's wedding, and a viral TikTok remix made with Summerhayes' comedic jerking motions at various conferences.