Joy Ride, the second raunchy comedy in the last two weeks, following No Hard Feelings, is often quite funny and, like the Jennifer Lawrence film, emotionally resonant. Beyond those broad strokes though, Lionsgate’s Joy Ride couldn’t be more different than the Sony Pictures’ flick, starting with an all-Asian female-led cast that includes Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and scene-stealer Sabrina Wu. Do you recognize their names? With any luck, you will soon.
Two children, who get matched together in their small town as “the only other Chinese kids,” become lifelong friends yet embody polar opposite personalities. Audrey (Park) is a hardworking, top-ranking lawyer at her firm (unsurprisingly, the only POC). Lolo (Cola) is a slacker whose provocative art doesn’t even sell at her parent’s restaurant.
The opportunity for a business trip to China becomes a girl’s trip as Audrey, Lolo, and K-Pop fan Deadeye (Wu) decide to meet up with another long-term pal, Kat (Hsu), Audrey’s former roommate who’s now a legit Chinese soap star. But a sudden chance to meet Audrey’s biological mom makes for a much deeper investigation of not only Audrey’s roots but the limits of the true friendship. Naturally, hilarity – and at least one crazy raunch moment ensues.
See Also: ‘No Hard Feelings’ Review: Jennifer Lawrence Shocks With Hilarity and Heart
Writers Cherry Chevapravatdumron and Teresa Hasio both hail from Comedy Central’s Awkwafina is Nora From Queens, and one can envision the Shang-Chi star being pitched this script which balances matter-of-fact observations on East vs. West culture with an unwavering – for lack of a better phrasing – full-on gross-out gags. (I mean that as a compliment.)
Also, as someone whose father’s side is Chinese, it’s fantastic to see so many hot, hunky Asian dudes onscreen as pure eye candy. For example, Kat’s fiancé Clarence (Desmond Chaim), who’s committed to no sex before marriage (funnier than it sounds), is a total smoke show.
While the cast is quite strong overall, with their chemistry working in the vein of The Hangover or Girls Trip, the standout by far is Deadeye. Part of this is because, like Zach Galifianakis or Tiffany Haddish, Sabrina Wu’s role just gets all the best moments, outfits, and lines. Part introvert, part massive K-Pop stan, her onscreen presence can often overshadow the entire ensemble, even Sherry Cola, a comedian in her own right.
Director Adele Lim certainly has a handle on the comedic beats and all the right approaches to the feels to deliver a strong 92 min run time. And yet, some sections do feel a tad padded. Whenever the gang needs to get from one location to the next, there’s an air of awkward scripting, à la “get from A to B to C.” The exception is a K-Pop-inspired musical number that involves private jets, million-dollar cars, endless fans, and zero passports. If there’s a sequel, more of that energy, please.
Joy Ride is the kind of film a less confident studio would have dumped on streaming, but thankfully, Lionsgate did the right thing. A huge crowd to experience such debauchery mixed with ample heart is always welcome at the theater. This is one crazy ride I hope many audiences take.
Joy Ride opens in theaters on July 7.
