Joy Ride is a story of evolving friendships and self-discovery. Audrey (Ashley Park) is a lawyer living in Seattle, anxious for promotion. An opportunity arises when her firm enters final negotiations with a wealthy Chinese company. Audrey’s boss nominates her to broker the deal. Part of the (incorrect) rationale is that even though Audrey was adopted from China, she presumably speaks the language and thus the best candidate conclude the talks in Beijing. Given her actual proficiency in Chinese is poor, she taps her best friend Lolo (Sherry Cola) to tag along as a translator. Lolo, a struggling sex-positive artist with a cavalier lifestyle, sees the trip as a best-friend excursion. Rounding out the group are Lolo’s socially awkward cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), and Kat (Stephanie Hsu)—Audrey’s friend from college. As the four women converge in China, a series of events unravel where they unexpectedly find misadventure and fellowship.
What works in Joy Ride are the big comedic swings complimented by emotional depth. Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians) directs a screenplay by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong (Family Guy) and Teresa Hsiao (Awkwafina is Nora From Queens) chock full of rapid-fire jokes meant to shock through sight or sound. They package these moments in a larger story about the intersection of honesty and identity. Each of the four women is on their own journey, navigating the societal and cultural pressures put on them by friends, family, and themselves. This dichotomy is Joy Ride’s greatest strength. The film takes pride in oscillating between absolutely absurd and incredibly tender moments. The latter of these often speak to some important messages about self-pride and love. Lim cranks both the humor and heart up to 11 and the result is a surprisingly balanced and entertaining experience.
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People who prefer cleaner or more conservative comedies, may not enjoy Joy Ride as much as others. While played for laughs, Joy Ride has an abundance of crass, gross-out, and lewd moments specifically designed to garner a reaction. Said reaction will directly correlate to the watcher’s comfort level with the subject matter which some might label as offensive or taboo. Also, Joy Ride’s narrative may feel familiar to other entries in the friends-on-a-wild-road-trip genre. The film follows a mostly predictable formula through highs and lows.
Joy Ride delivers on exactly what it is peddling: a raunchy comedy with heart. While it may not break new ground in terms of structure, its focus on the characters keeps the experience fresh and funny.
Recommended if you Enjoyed: Bridesmaids, Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell
Joy Ride is now available for rent or purchase on most digital streaming platforms.
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