Uninhibited Cena gives life to Stanicky
Like many of the Farrelly brothers’ early movies (Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, Stuck on You) Ricky Stanicky is tasteless, sophomoric, offensive and ham-fisted. It’s also smart, poignant, inclusive and one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in quite some time.
On a fateful Halloween night Dean, J.T. and Wes (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino and Jermaine Fowler, respectfully) see a harmless prank go horribly bad. Having accidentally set a neighbor’s house on fire, they hurriedly leave behind one of their jackets with a nonsensical name conjured in a panic written on its inside. Once the men in blue arrive on the scene, they believe Ricky Stanicky is the culprit, never understanding he doesn’t exist.
Realizing they’ve stumbled upon an alibi gold mine, the trio starts blaming every nefarious act on their imaginary scapegoat, a practice that continues into adulthood. This goes off without a hitch for years, until the boys take a quick getaway to Atlantic City for a concert, using the excuse that Ricky is in the hospital. Having turned off their phones for the show, they find a litany of messages waiting for them afterwards. Seems J.T.’s wife has given birth six weeks early, so the boys hightail it back. All concerned want to know just why Ricky isn’t with them. Many questions are asked that can’t be answered and they realize the only way to get out of this jam is to hire someone to portray their non-existent friend. Fortunately, they have just the man for the job.
The film’s secret weapon is John Cena, a down-and-out impersonator who’s hired to play the titular character. The actor’s willingness to try anything holds him in good stead here. Whether he’s required to be overbearing, clingy, obnoxious, confident, demanding or romantic, Cena is up to the task. While he’ll likely never give DeNiro a run for his money, he has a conviction and sincerity that draws us in. The camera loves him as well, and he knows it.
The sentiment present in the Farrelly brothers’ movies is often overlooked due to the ribald nature of their humor. That their optimistic messages are less than subtle doesn’t help, but there’s no denying the positive intent present. Themes of inclusion, empathy and charity are front and center, Stanicky’s message of positivity coming to the fore again and again. Again, there’s nothing subtle about any of this, and this is not for all tastes. If the idea of seeing Cena dressed as Billy Idol, a member of Devo or Alice Cooper singing parody songs about self-love or the sight of a hallucinating mohel attempt an ill-advised circumcision is your cup of tea, Ricky Stanicky is for you. If not, give it a shot anyway. It just may exceed your low expectations. Streaming on Amazon Prime.
This Damsel requires no rescuing
If Millie Bobby Brown has anything to say about it, she will be a force in the movie industry for years to come. Building upon her success from Netflix’s Stranger Things, she formed her own production company, PCMA, at the age of 16, delivering Enola Holmes and its sequel to the streamer. Her latest, Damsel, is an ambitious medieval adventure that turns genre conventions on their head.
While the film, at times, has a fairy tale look to it, nothing could be further from the truth. The kingdom where Princess Elodie (Brown) resides is dying. Crops have failed and famine is sweeping the land. In an act of desperation, her father, King Bayford (Ray Winstone), brokers a deal with the monarchy of Oria. Queen Isabelle and King Roderick (Robin Wright and Milo Twomey) are intent on marrying off their son, Prince Henry (Nick Robinson), and eager to form alliances that may benefit them politically in the future. Bayford makes some overtures, missives are sent back and forth and before you know it, he, his wife (Angela Bassett) and younger daughter (Brooke Carter) are accompanying Elodie to give her away in marriage.
Obviously, the Bayfords never heard the warning about things being too good to be true. Upon arriving in Oria, they find themselves awash in splendor, wined, dined and feted, all seeming right with the world. However, there is a hitch. After the ceremony, Elodie is carted to a massive pit where she’s thrown in as a sacrifice to a dragon. It’s a small detail…
What ensues is a rousing, and at times, clever adventure that finds our heroine careening through a complex warren of caverns, trying to avoid a dragon (voice by Shohreh Aghdashloo) intent on making our erstwhile princess her next meal. Though there are some plot holes, Dan Mazeu’s screenplay contains complex characters the cast can sink their teeth into. There are more than a few surprises where the motivations of the key players, scaled and skinned, are concerned. What emerges is a rise to power of those who have been marginalized, as they come to see the only road to salvation is through self-actualization and extreme action.
There’s a conviction to Brown’s approach that’s appealing. Though only 20 years old, she has a command of the screen that’s impressive and projects a sense of strength and tenacity that’s appealing and compelling. Her transformation from princess to warrior is believable, her Elodie cut from the same cloth as Katniss Everdene. Whether sequels are in the offing – and that door is left open – remains to be seen. Thanks to the skill with which Damsel is executed and Brown’s fierce performance, that prospect doesn’t fill me with dread. Streaming on Netflix.
Sincerity makes for effective Cabrini
The first U.S. citizen to be canonized as a saint, Frances Xavier Cabrini was a force to be reckoned with. A sickly child, due to a near drowning that damaged her lungs, she grew up in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano in Italy where she began work at an orphanage at the age of 20 after her parents died. Gathering about her a small group of devout women, they formed the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, their intention being to build an international, charitable network. And while Cabrini wished to start her work in China, Pope Leo XIII urged her to go to New York City to minister to the impoverished Italian immigrant population. She reluctantly accepted this charge, unaware of the thousands she would help because of her actions.
Alejandro Monteverde’s Cabrini, which recounts the saint’s life after her arrival in America, is an old-fashioned biopic of the sort made by the Hollywood studios in the 1930s and 40s. Taking place in 1889, Cabrini’s arrival in New York is inauspicious. Archbishop Corrigan (David Morse) makes it known that her presence is not wanted, and she is given little in the way of guidance as to how to minister to the poor. Ever the self-starter, she and the other six sisters who have accompanied her take over the rundown orphanage in the infamous Five Points area.
Needing a more sanitary location, they approach New York Times reporter Theodore Callaway, who publishes a series of investigative reports exposing the horrid conditions of the slums where so many homeless children live. Soon a charitable foundation is formed, donations are gathered, and a new building is purchased to house the Holy Angels Orphanage. This draws the ire of Mayor Gould (John Lithgow), who is getting pressure from some deep-pocketed citizens to drive out these unwanted interlopers. He employs every method he can to thwart Cabrini’s progress yet is unaware of the strength and determination he’s up against.
As shot by cinematographer Gorka Gomez Andreu, every scene is composed as if it were intended to be hung in a gallery of fine art. The lush lighting and rich tones are a wonder to behold, yet at times work counter to the film’s message. The slums often have a manufactured look to them, a touch of poverty chic at play throughout. These locations need much more actual squalor and less high-key lighting.
In the title role, Christiana Dell’Anna gives a fierce performance, conveying the woman’s strength with both subtle and grand actions. Slight in build, she conveys Cabrini’s determination with a set jaw and piercing glances, the sort that whither the weak of heart or convince those who would offer her violence to reconsider. Thanks to Dell’Anna’s passionate turn, you come away convinced Cabrini could bully, cajole or shame anyone into bending to her needs. In theaters.
