'Joy Ride' Has Some Bumps Between Its Laughs
A bumpy ride that lands most of its laughs, Joy Ride is a rough trip with mixed results. On the one hand, it's nice to see Asian culture wonderfully represented through humor. But on the other end, there are cheap genitalia jokes that aren't always necessary. The female end's joke lands where the male is a dud. The movie's crass dialogue works for the most part since it naturally captures the way people speak. People can be crass. Many people are naturally vulgar, but it doesn't make them vulgar people. And the folks we follow in this picture are funny enough to keep the film moving along smoothly.
Audrey (Ashley Park) is an ambitious well put together attorney. She's always been at the top of her class and is a near Crazy Rich Asian. Even with all that success, she doesn't know who her birthmother is. On a business trip to China, Audrey's childhood friend, Lolo (Sherry Cola), College friend Kat (Stephanie Hsu), and Lolo's cousin, Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), tag along on Audrey's trip to China. Through Lolo's insistence, she persuades Audrey to search for her birthmother, who's supposed to reside in China.
If the quest for the birthmother sounds heavy, fear not, as this is a vaudeville comedy mixed with awkward character humor and toilet jokes. Some of its style works. There's a bit that emotionally resonates where Deadeye accidentally offends Audrey only to confess that she doesn't know how to talk to people. Possible Autism? The film doesn't blatantly say so. Deadeye blurts out what's in their mind without holding back or being able to control it. Of all characters, I found Deadeye the most interesting.
Seeing the emotionally/mentally impaired represented in a positive light on the screen is something I'd like to see more of. Deadeye isn't defined by her disabilities, although they're clearly there when she says something inappropriate. Equally as welcoming is the mixture of Asian cultures that's blatantly honest. One thing is for certain in this film, Asians don't like other Asians. The film clarifies that by introducing the audience to the different groups of Chinese as if they're high school clicks.
The humor is mostly funny throughout the picture as its antics go from 1-10 on the zaniness scale. At one point in the film, the girls ride on the train and take seats with a drug dealer. The baggage police arrive at the scene, and the girls must dispose of the drugs after the dealer blows cocaine in their faces, making them all accomplices. The ladies' only option is to consume all of the drugs within seconds before the police come in. How they don't die from an overdose of cocaine isn't believable, but it's not supposed to be.
In another scenario, the girls transform into a pop band doing a cover of WAP so they can get past airport security. The bit is pretty funny as the finale to the music reveals the film's biggest, shall we say most, devilish laugh.
Underneath all its zany antics Joy Ride is a comedy about friendship that's heavy-handed in its sappy final moments. Toward the end, the cast gives motivational speeches, preaching their love for one another with heartfelt lines of dialogue that land like duds. The ending moments which were the most sentimental, grew predictable. I know one person will say to another, "You're something special, and I love you," which is loving but familiar. At its most serious, the picture didn't win me on its sentimentality. Luckily the movie reaches a fine conclusion with a tight enough narrative package to prevent itself from being mundane. With enough energy, laughter, and cultural awareness, Joy Ride is an enjoyable trip that has some turbulence.
