10 Recent Movies NOBODY Expected To Be Good

The marketing for Ricky Stanicky did it no favours at all, making it look like an abrasively tasteless comedy the likes of which aren't made anymore - some would argue for very good reason.

Plus, despite starring Zac Efron and John Cena, the film's direct-to-streaming release and minimal marketing campaign suggested it'd be another nothingburger comedy that's near-instantly forgotten upon release.

Nobody's going to call Ricky Stanicky a smart movie, but it is a surprisingly funny one, in large part due to John Cena's hilariously over-committed performance in the central role, playing a budding actor who agrees to pose as the imaginary friend invented by a group of friends.

To his credit, director Peter Farrelly absolutely recaptures the anarchic spirit of the relentlessly tacky R-rated comedies of the early 2000s, making this a bewilderingly effective comedy vehicle even if it absolutely won't be for all tastes.

In terms of hitting its intended targets, though, Ricky Stanicky was an unqualified success.