Ricky Stanicky is a film that explores how strong a male group is. Yet it's always interesting to see John Cena act like never before. We can't help but ask, however, if Ricky Stanicky is based on a true story. Here's what we know.
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for Ricky Stanicky, so proceed with caution.
What is Ricky Stanicky's Story About?
Ricky Stanicky is an Amazon Prime Video that follows three childhood friends who have to pretend that their fake friend is real.
All through their lives, Dean (played by Zac Efron), JT (played by Andrew Santino), and Wes (played by Jermaine Fowler) have always used their fake friend to get out of trouble.
This lie has followed them up to adulthood when they would tell their spouses that their friend, Ricky Stanicky, was in town and asked to meet up. But when their spouses suddenly ask to meet this "wonderful" friend, the trio find themselves in trouble.
They decide to hire Rod (played by John Cena), a washed-up actor to pretend to be their friend. But when Rod takes things too far, it is up to the three friends to pull the reins on Ricky Stanicky.
Is Ricky Stanicky a True Story?
It's easy to think that Ricky Stanicky is a true story. After all, it reminds you of the movie, Tag, which was based on real events. Tag was also about a group of friends who seemed to have an interesting experience together.
In this case, however, Ricky Stanicky is not based on a true story. The movie was helmed by Peter Farrelly, the same guy who whipped up classic comedies like Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary.
In an interview, Farrelly spoke about the film's depth:
"Ricky Stanicky, I think, is just a hilarious movie, and it’s a great message, not just a bunch of hard-R laughs. There’s Something About Mary ultimately is about true love. There were many times when Ted, the Ben Stiller character, would have just backed off, except he was in love. He gets these bogus reports that Mary has got all sorts of issues; she’s got too many kids by too many guys; she’s on welfare. He still wants to find her because he loves her, and that’s the ultimate message. The message of Ricky Stanicky is somewhat different, but I think it will resonate.”
Did the Events of Ricky Stanicky Really Happen?
Although it would have been interesting to see the events in Ricky Stanicky happen in real life, the scenes in the movie have been exaggerated and are deemed unlikely. They have been made to underscore the film's fictional aspect.
Together with Farrelly, the film's screenwriters were dedicated to creating a fictional tale that aimed to entertain instead of documenting real events.
The result, however, is nothing short, but extraordinary. The film is full of fun shenanigans that only Cena and Efron can pull off.
Catch Ricky Stanicky when it comes out on Amazon Prime Video on March 7, 2024.
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