Ricky Stanicky

The most compelling character in Ricky Stanicky never appears and doesn’t have a single line of dialogue — because he doesn’t exist.

That gives John Cena the freedom to take the facetious title role to playful extremes, and his zany energy steals this raunchy comedy of arrested development that otherwise bogs down in labored gags and shallow hijinks.

The film marks a return to broad comedy for director Peter Farrelly (Green Book), employing a go-for-broke mindset that at least generates scattered big laughs within an absurdly outlandish premise that lacks sufficient emotional grounding.

The film opens with an origin story of sorts, in which a trio of quick-thinking teenage pranksters blame some inadvertent destruction on a supposed outsider named Ricky Stanicky.

Two decades later, Ricky continues to be an asset for Dean (Zac Efron), J.T. (Andrew Santino), and Wes (Jermaine Fowler). As far as their significant others are concerned, he’s a global philanthropist whose travels have prevented proper introductions.

The guys use a would-be call from Ricky as an excuse for an Atlantic City getaway, but that backfires when J.T.’s pregnant wife (Anja Savcic) goes into labor. Eventually, this leads to perplexed family members demanding an explanation.

Why not hire an actor to play Ricky at a family function? That leads them to Rod (Cena), an obnoxious nightclub singer desperate to prove himself. Initially, his portrayal goes above and beyond — impressing Dean’s journalist girlfriend (Lex Scott Davis) and uptight boss (William H. Macy) — but eventually his commitment to the role threatens to reveal the truth about Ricky.

“It was fun while it lasted, but it’s time to get off that roller coaster once and for all,” Dean suggests. But erasing the legend isn’t as easy as they imagine.

Cena’s over-the-top audacity is admirable, even as the plot contrivances accumulate and the jokes gradually feel more strained. Along the way, while the scheme predictably spirals out of control, the actors convey a charming rapport beyond the constraints of the screenplay.

The film tries to coast on cringey awkwardness as the buddies struggle to keep their story straight. It funnels toward an inevitable comeuppance that threatens their personal and professional lives, yet never quite rings true.

Like its eponymous character, Ricky Stanicky isn’t believable. Yet unlike his on-screen cohorts, moviegoers aren’t as likely to be fooled.

Rated R, 108 minutes.