Ricky

It would be easy to turn “Ricky” into something more, a commentary on recidivism and the hardships of a criminal coping with life in this day and age. Still, by only touching on these, a simple story performs the heavy lifting, unfolding as it does. We want to hope for Ricky, cheer his successes, and wish him a better life, not only for Ricky but for all those who are the same.

Ricky is a movie that plunges into the depths and also lifts the spirit honestly.

Ricky emerges as a marvelously understated examination of one man’s struggle to achieve stability.

James gives a career-best performance as Ricky, a scared kid in a man’s muscled body.

With a powerhouse ensemble leading viewers through their raw, tender story, it’s more than a necessary watch that should aid in opening minds and prompting conversation.

While this expansion of Frett’s 2023 short of the same name may, at times, feel like it’s being cornered into making a political statement, the nuanced central performance from Stephan James largely prevents the message from overwhelming the story.

Ricky struggles with underbaked narrative threads and breathless direction that can verge on unfocused.