The wife and I were lucky enough to get the chance to go to a preview screening of Joy Ride and we had such a great time. I cannot remember the last time I was in a theatre and the whole place was laughing, groaning, and just having such a fun time. This is a laugh-out-loud raunchy comedy and one that I highly recommend you make the effort to see in your local theatre.
How to Download Joy Ride
You will be able to download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and check the current availability.
The Movie Review
Joy Ride is directed by the very talented Adele Lim. You may recognize her as the writer for the awesome Crazy Rich Asians, and Raya and the Last Dragon. I have no doubt in my mind that she is going to be in major demand as a director after this as she absolutely nailed this movie. I legit cannot think of anything wrong with this movie, it was that good!
A Hilarious Road Trip
At its core, what we have here is a road trip movie where four friends are making their way through China, with a little Korea thrown in. The easiest comparisons to make as far as tone and overall style of the movie go are things like The Hangover trilogy and Bridesmaids. Actually, if you liked those movies, you will like this one. On the flip side, if that kind of comedy is not for you, this will not win you over either.
Characters and Setup
Audrey is an Asian-American and she was adopted by white parents. She is an overachiever and works hard as a lawyer and Audrey has been tasked with heading to China to try and land this big account. That right there is the setup, but Audrey is not going to be taking this trip alone!
Tagging along is her best friend, Lolo who is a real free spirit and makes this fun and hilarious XXX art. Also coming along for the ride is Lolo’s cousin, Vanessa who is nicknamed Deadeye and is as awkward as they come and she has a real love for K-Pop which does play into the movie. In China, they meet up with Kat who is an actress and she was a college friend of Audrey.
Wild Adventure Unfolds
Now, Audrey being adopted plays a key part in things. The person that she is sent to do business with is old-fashioned and will only do so if they meet her family! This is what sends Audrey and her friends on this wild and crazy trip to try and track down her birth mother and as you would expect, it goes horribly wrong!
Hilarious Moments and Heartfelt Development
Joy Ride is so, so funny! There were scenes that had tears rolling down my cheeks I was laughing so hard. From a scene with a very obscenely placed tattoo to a scene with a drug mule on a train to a K-Pop scene. The movie just goes from one funny situation to the next and never lets up.
However, what really sets this apart from all the other comedies and what makes it one of the true greats is that Joy Ride also has a lot of heart and character development. We get to see our group come close together, fall apart, and everything in between. It makes for such a great and engaging movie to watch and you may think that me giving this such a high score is crazy, but I legit have nothing bad to say about this.
