New to UK cinemas this weekend is the comedy road movie, Joy Ride. Directed by Adele Lim, the film stars Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu, and follows the story of a young woman from the US who travels with her friends to China to close an important business deal.
In the movie, Audrey Sullivan is a young Chinese-American woman who lives in Seattle. Audrey works as a lawyer at a prestigious practice, and after putting in lots of hard work, she is keen to progress in her job.
After being promised a promotion by her boss if she can win over a Chinese client, Audrey takes a business trip to Beijing to seal the deal. Joining her on the trip is best friend Lolo, as well as Lolo’s cousin Vanessa aka ‘Deadeye’.
Upon arrival in China, Audrey, Lola, and Deadeye meet up with Audrey’s old college roommate, Kat, before catching up for drinks with the client. The meeting goes well, but when he starts talking about the importance of family, and how it is intrinsic to his business dealings, Audrey and Lola are forced to lie about Audrey’s family, as she was adopted at birth and doesn’t know her biological parents.
Keen to ensure the deal goes through, Audrey decides to seek out her mother to prove to the client she has maintained her Chinese roots. She is also keen to know where she came from, and would like to get to know more about her family.
With limited time available, Audrey, Lola, Deadeye, and Kat go in search of Audrey’s mother. Along the way they learn more about themselves and share some memorable experiences.
Debuting at the South by Southwest festival (SXSW) back in March, before going on general release in the US at the beginning of July, Joy Ride has finally pulled up in the UK. But now that it is here, has the journey been worth the wait?
You bet it has. As the title suggests, Joy Ride is both joyous and one heck of a ride, which is very silly, but at the same time touching and heartfelt.
The movie is also loaded with a continuous stream of gags, which range from light chuckles to full-on belly laughs. The comedy rate is pretty high with Joy Ride, and it certainly knows when to crank things up a notch, to ensure peak laughter.
From a hilarious dance routine involving a fake K-pop group, to an inappropriate tattoo, and from a drink-fuelled game of ‘slaps’, to a bonkers sex session, Joy Ride is crammed with scenes designed to keep the laughs coming and the energy going. As such, the film never runs out of steam, nor does the pace drop, and the hit rate is very high.
But as much as this is a film filled with jokes, Joy Ride also understands audiences need a story to sink their teeth into. And it’s here where the film really excels, with an emotional soft-centre that is able to pull on the heartstrings when needed.
Audrey’s journey to meet her mother is more than just a side excursion, it is an opportunity for the movie to look at identity and culture, while tapping into the film’s ongoing theme of ‘belonging’. Joy Ride has plenty to say about racial stereotypes and heritage too, and it is in Audrey’s quest for family where the film really demonstrates its depth.
Leading the film is a fantastic cast of actors who are all excellent when it comes to balancing the comedy and the more serious side of the film. Each character in the movie has their own individual journey, and each is brought to life effortlessly by the central cast.
Singling out one of the core four would do the others a disservice. Such is the strength of the cast, no character falls into the background or feels underplayed.
While watching, I was reminded of the strong cast in the hit 2011 comedy, Bridesmaids. That film worked well because of its ensemble, and the same can be said here.
With Joy Ride, director Adele Lim manages to bring the ensemble together and give them room to do whatever is needed to make their characters shine. Lim understands this film needs a strong central group to carry the comedy, and that’s exactly what is on offer.
Incidentally, Joy Ride marks Lim’s feature film debut – and what an impressive start to her film career it is. Joy Ride is a confident picture with much to say, while being consistently humorous, and this is something which even seasoned directors struggle to pull off.
Going into Joy Ride, there was a positive buzz about the movie coming from overseas, but I must admit I knew next-to-nothing about the film. I expected something at least half-way decent, but what I got was a film that is really likeable and incredibly fun.
Joy Ride is the sort of picture which is easy viewing, but at the same time it has substance. Yes, there are moments where it is absurd, but there’s plenty of heart in here too, which ensures it doesn’t become something forgettable or disposable.
If you want a picture to lose yourself in, which is guaranteed to make you smile, Joy Ride is the movie for you. The film is very playful, has strong performances, and is a journey worth taking.
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