Joy Ride Movie Review

I have spoken about it in the past, but comedies seem to be appearing less and less especially on the big-screen, however in 2023 we have seen the return of the raunchy comedy with two major releases ‘No Hard Feelings’ which arrives on DVD and Blu-Ray in October and ‘Joy Ride’ which has arrived on DVD and Blu-Ray this month thanks to the team at Roadshow! Joy Ride is brought to us by screenwriter Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians, Raya and The Last Dragon), who also takes on directing duties here as well.

The film stars Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu and follows four Asian-American friends as they bond and discover the truth of what it means to know who you are and love who you are, whilst traveling through China. The film has the mould of a fun wacky comedy with familiar plotting that we have seen many times before, but what separates ‘Joy Ride’ is the way it’s pieced together. The modern messaging, talented cast and great themes make this one of the best comedies in recent years.

Writer/director Adele Lim does a fantastic job here bringing Joy Ride to life. She writes a tight script, with memorable characters and thought-provoking themes that are sweet, thoughtfully handled and emotionally resonant. The films manage to reach emotional depths that many modern films don’t even come close to reaching, let alone in a comedy, but Adele Lim explores these in memorable fashion, emphasising the importance of loving yourself and loving where you came from. It's powerful and tastefully executed.

The cast are also all wonderful here. Ashley Park backs up her wonderful performance in Beef this year with yet another great turn as our lead Audrey. Audrey is battling her way through day-to-day life, but without knowing exactly who she is. She is trying to find her identity whilst also making it in her field. We’ve seen the business deal that needs to be made plot before, but the added depth of her identity and wanting to know where she comes from is sweet and well-handled and Ashley Park does a wonderful job with it. Sherry Cola as her best friend Lolo is also wonderful, she’s really funny and steals a lot of the scenes she’s in, again dealing with her own identity and working out what she wants to do with her life. Finding a way to sell her sex positive art whilst also keeping her parents and family happy. Stephanie Hsu backs up her Academy Award nomination for Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, with another great turn as Kat, flexing her comedic muscle. She is trying to tell her fiancé that she is sex positive and wants him to be okay with that. It's again very well handled as Hsu does a wonderful job of conveying this through her performance. Sabrina Wu as Deadeye is also fantastic, she is trying to make friends and feel comfortable in her own skin, something we have all been through!  

Joy Ride is funny, well-written and thoughtful. It’s one of the best comedies in recent years that is elevated by its talented writer/director and its cast, who all have wonderful chemistry with one another. It doesn’t reinvent the comedy genre, but it sure does breathe some life into it! This is a must watch and does make for an enjoyable film to watch with your friends. Pick-up your copy today on DVD or Blu-Ray, you won’t want to miss it!

Buy Joy Ride on DVD or Blu-ray here

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here