Okay everyone – time to buckle up, stay alert, and try not to spit out your cocktails while watching because writer/director Adele Lim is bringing ‘it’ to you with “JOY RIDE.” The film is packed with raunchy jokes and more than one decadent conversation about intimate body parts, felines, substances, Cardi B, and even exploring the distinctions among various Asian ethnicities. I mean who says a buncha guys can be the only ones with the corner market on this genre as ‘Joy Ride’ is sprinkled with some spicy moments and includes some great incorporation of Chinese and Korean elements, which adds a cool touch to it all. This raunchy comedy follows the standard 2010’s raunch-com template, with four big glaring differences – it brings four bad-ass female Asian-American leads to the table bringing East Asian female representation to the comedy world first and foremost.

The tone of ‘JOY RIDE,’ is set within the first 15 minutes as we watch as a young white couple Joe (David Denman), and Mary Sullivan (Annie Mumolo), approach a perplexed-looking Asian family on the playground. The couple awkwardly ask the painfully out of place parents Wey (Kenneth Liu), and Jenny Chen (Debbie Fan), if they’re Chinese, to which Jenny defensively affirms the assumption, adding with distinction that they are American and have moved to White Hills from California. In a sweet moment, their child peeks from behind and reveals that the white couple have an adopted daughter from China, and the two young daughters go off to play as their parents look on in relief that they found each other. When a naughty little boy launches a racist insult their way, he’s met with a vulgarity and punch to the face from Lolo. ‘Best friends forever’ is sealed right then and there. As they get older, Audrey becomes a lawyer and Lolo an artist-with eccentric tastes in art. Audrey must travel to China for a business deal and Lolo tags along as her translator because Audrey speaks very little Chinese. While in China, they decide to look up Audrey’s birth mother and hook up with Kai, an old college friend that is now an actress, and Deadeye, a friend of Lolo’s. Hi-jinks ensue on their road trip like meeting a drug dealer on a train, a meet up with a basketball team, and impersonating a K-pop band (think BlackPink), being just some of their adventures. It is very graphic humour, but it IS funny-and there are lessons to be learned concerning friendships along the way.

Each of the wonderful Asian-American leads here is a fairly-typical character model for this brand of comedy – but it’s all in how it is done and here it is done right. There is Audrey (Ashley Park), who plays the straight, professional girl of the group; Lolo (Sherry Cola), is the best friend – laid back, no shame, free spirited artist not afraid to show her nasty side. They are joined by Kai (Stephanie Tsu), who is a celebrity actress and just might be the real breakout character of the film. And lastly, Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), another contender for best breakout character, who is the weird, socially awkward, but the endearing and sympathetic cousin to Lolo, who manages to bring some of the biggest heart and laughs to the film. And you’ll have to wait to watch it to find out her real name and why she is called Deadeye. Every single cast member is fantastic and manages to bring their own emotional weight to the movie that makes you genuinely feel for them, while also providing laugh out loud moments. The movie is brimming with personality because of them and their personal cultural/identity battles that are sympathetic and make for the both the best jokes and the most heartfelt moments of the film. There is a mom moment that got me hard as they always do – but it’s also a beautiful moment and probably the most touching moment of the film of which there are some doozies in there.  

Befittingly so, this is a strong R rated comedy (so take note – no kids) starring Asian-American actors-kind in the vein of Bridesmaids, Neighbors or The Hangover was so it should come as no surprise that Seth Rogan, Annie Mumolo, Evan Goldberg JamesWeaver, and Cherry Chevapravatdumrong are attached as producers with Cherry being part of the writing team as well along with Teresa Hsiao.

And I would be completely remiss to not talk about the guys here. And I mean wowsa. So yes guys, please forgive this paragraph and just scroll by because I can factually say that as this one is for the ladies. You won’t want to miss out on the eye candy here and that might sound so…déclassé’ – but it’s worth it to talk about as we rarely get this so let me have this one, will you? Desmond Chiam comes in playing Clarence in a role so against type, you can’t help but laugh. Chris Wong as a villain in the TV show that Tsu’s character stars in. And the basketball team of Alexander Hodge as Todd, Chris Pang as Kenny, Rohain Arora as Arvind, Victor Lau as Jiaying and Baron Davis as…Baron Davis. And that’s just naming a few. Trust me – it’s all worth it.

So again, get ready to experience a wild and comedic journey of self-discovery, filled with explicit sexual and racial jokes as this hilarious ride does not hold back. However, it’s not just about the laughs; it also delves into personal growth, intersecting identities, and the power of friendship. It doesn’t achieve perfection or greatness, but it wasn’t reaching for that either. If this genre is your thing, you’ll have a wonderful time.

Grade: B+

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“JOY RIDE” FROM LIONSGATE IS OUT IN THEATERS FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2023

Review Screening: Friday, June 30, 2023 ~ Courtesy of Lionsgate