Cancel all proposed awards ceremonies and hand over the major gongs to Peter Farrelly’s Ricky Stanicky. Putting in the kind of performance that has Marlon Brando smiling from the great beyond and Daniel Day-Lewis questioning his legacy as the best actor of this generation is John Cena. Starring as Rock-Hard Rod, the impersonator who brings the fictitious and fabled Ricky Stanicky to life, Cena puts in a laugh-until-you-snort performance that shows he isn’t afraid to poke fun at himself all in the name of comedy. He’s also good – scaringly good – at it.
From the marine to trainwreck
While most fans – and probably even the man himself – think Hulk Hogan paved the way for professional wrestlers to become lead actors, the real distinction belongs to “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, whose performance in They Live demonstrated how wrestlers can be taken seriously and have something to offer directors. The Hot Rod didn’t play a Santa with Muscles or Mr. Nanny; instead, he portrayed an everyday and believable action hero. From there, the door opened for other in-ring performers to hop into the film industry, where they played mostly action stars because of their imposing frames and size.
John Cena’s venture into the acting world happened in the same way. He starred in e.tv’s second-favourite film of all time (Anaconda will always be number one, baby), The Marine, before flexing his way into other B-grade fodder like 12 Roundsand The Reunion. For all intents and purposes, he fit the bill of action hero with his muscular frame, clean-cut all-American persona, and undeniable on-screen charisma.
However, it was Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck that showed a different side of Cena – a more lighthearted and funnier demeanor of the man who preached hustle, loyalty, and respect. For anyone who watched WWE, this shouldn’t have been all too surprising. When unleashed on the microphone, Cena was a master yapper, even destroying Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a promo battle. Trainwreck captured parts of this personality, and Hollywood took notice.
John Cena is finding his niche
From here on out, John Cena alternated between the genres of action and comedy. He’s never offended when starring in the former, since he’s had memorable turns in F9 and Hidden Strike– plus, he’s even combined the genres for something special like Peacemaker. However, there’s no disputing Cena is at his best when the guns and fists are put away. Blockers and Vacation Friends stand out as two films where he plays an ordinary, no-frills guy and more than proves his comedy credentials. Now, in Ricky Stanicky, he steals the whole f’n show.
Not only does Cena possess godly timing for his lines, but he also understands how to use his facial expression and exaggerated gestures for further effect. He knows he’s a big guy, and much like Arnold Schwarzenegger figured out in the late ’80s and early ’90s, he gets that the audience loves to laugh at a muscular man who indulges in slapstick situations. Maybe it’s because of his history in WWE, or simply due to him having a natural gift in this regard, but Cena uses his entire body for comedy and the results are nothing short of hilarious.
What about John Cena for The Mask reboot?
So, where to after Ricky Stanicky for John Cena? Well, what about The Mask? Jim Carrey blows hot and cold regarding his return to the role of Stanley Ipkiss, so there might be the need to hit the reboot button and start from scratch. After all, everyone needs to wash away the taste of faeces left behind by 2005’s Son of the Mask, so something has got to give here.
Much like Carrey, though, Cena isn’t afraid to get stuck into his characters, no matter how silly they might be. It isn’t too outlandish to think of him dressing up and performing “Cuban Pete” either, since he already showed his impersonation qualities as Rock-Hard Rod. In fact, casting Cena as Stanley Ipkiss might be the greatest recasting idea of all time. Make it happen, Hollywood.
Tell us, do you think John Cena is better as a comedy star rather than as an action hero? What did you think of John Cena in Ricky Stanicky? Let us know in the comments.
Ricky Stanicky |
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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 later, they still use the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. |
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| Studio: Amazon MGM Studios |
| Running Time: 114 minutes |
| Release Date: March 7, 2024 |
| Cast: Zac Efron, John Cena, Andrew Santino |
| Director: Peter Farrelly |
| Writers: Jeffrey Bushell, Brian Jarvis, James Lee Freeman |
| Genre: Comedy |
| Box Office: N/A |
