Joy Ride (2023) - Review: A Hysterical Ride That Should Not Be Missed

 

In the post-pandemic film landscape, it seems like the one genre that’s been hung out to dry more than most is the studio comedy. A movie that exists, more or less, simply to make you laugh for 90 minutes and not much else. Most have been pushed straight to streaming, but the few that have made it to theatres (“Bullet Train,” “The Lost City,” “Ticket to Paradise”) have done fairly well for themselves. However, a blatantly R-rated comedy in the vein of “The Hangover” hasn’t been seen in quite some time, and writer/director Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Raya and the Last Dragon”) and co-writers Cherry Chevapravatdumrong (“Family Guy,” “The Orville”) and Teresa Hsiao (“Nora from Queens,” “Family Guy”) are here to change that.

“Joy Ride” sees childhood best friends Audrey, played by Ashley Park (“Emily in Paris,” “Girls5eva”), and Lolo, played by Sherry Cola (“Claws,” “Good Trouble”), travel to China for a work trip for Audrey’s law firm, reluctantly accompanied by Lolo’s cousin Deadeye, played by Sabrina Wu in their film debut, and Audrey’s college roommate turned movie star Kat, played by Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “The Path”). While overseas, they learn that Audrey’s birth mother is in China, and they set out to track her down so she and Audrey can meet. There are numerous incidents and gags that impede their progress along the way, none of which will go spoiled here.

The ensemble cast here can’t help but be compared to previous films like “The Hangover” and “Bridesmaids,” and that’s no small feat. Park, Colo, Wu, and Hsu are absolutely hysterical individually, and a complete riot when they’re all working together. Their comedic flow and chemistry are off the charts and when they fire on all cylinders, it’s easily the funniest comedy released in theatres in years. Hsu in particular is so excellent in her bad-girl-turned-good persona that she practically begs for an Oscar nomination like Melissa McCarthy received for her fantastic comedic turn in “Bridesmaids.”

Lim stuffs the film with gags and jokes constantly, but the film is at its best when things are just going crazy. There are a handful of moments here that are simply shocking, the kind of mouth agape laughing fits that leave you simply wondering, “are they really doing this?” Most impressively, both for a directorial debut and for comedic material this outrageous, there’s never any hesitation. Lim and her team are completely committed to bringing this filthy adventure to its fullest potential and it feels effortless.

Yet, when the film decides to slow down and deliver an emotional gut-punch in its third act, it delivers. Not only does it not feel out of place, but it’s a great showcase of its main quartet’s dramatic talents as well. Park particularly shines here, and it’s easy to tear up in the last twenty minutes; a pretty impressive feat for a comedy this raunchy to not only pull out a dramatic ending but really nail it. To do all that in a relatively short runtime of just 95-minutes is no small accomplishment.

Beyond the humor and the heart though, the film also manages to be a fantastic showcase of various Chinese and Asian lifestyles and families. There are numerous moments of heartwarming acceptance, while also moments of ribbing at the internalized racism between various Asian ethnicities. It doesn’t paint everything with the same brush, allowing for complications and details, while also showcasing some beautiful landscape with Paul Yee’s (“Reality (2023),” “JessZilla (2023)”) cinematography.

If “Joy Ride” was simply just its laughs and nothing else, it would still be one of the best movies of the year based purely on its comedic merits. Yet the film’s heart and unexpected dramatic weight in the end help to make it more than just a barrel of laughs. Its central foursome are to die for and the near constant hilarity makes for a side-splitting night at the movies that might just be supplemented by some tears as well. 4.5/5