User reviews

Joy Ride is a comedy about four girls who take an unplanned trip.

The movie has a solid plot that doesn't rely on just the comedy to get things going. Rather, it offers a lot of bonding moments between the girls, some moving and emotional moments when it came to finding the main lead's biological mother, and a nice character development for the lead. The individual storylines were interesting and entertaining as well.

Also, the girls did a great job with their characters and their chemistry was undeniable.

However, the comedy part was so so, often using the shocking factor to impress and some of the jokes were even over the top. But, overall, it was a fun ride.

I have to admit that I wasn't really harboring much of any expectations to this 2023 comedy titled "Joy Ride" since the synopsis wasn't really all that interesting. But with it being a movie that I hadn't already seen, then of course I opted to give the movie a fair chance.

And luckily so, because writers Cherry Chevapravatdumrong, Teresa Hsiao and Adele Lim put together a script and storyline that was as entertaining as it was funny and enjoyable. I was genuinely surprised and entertained by director Adele Lim's 2023 movie. And I am glad that I opted to sit down and watch it.

The storyline is a nicely written one of friendship and also coming to learn about oneself and one's heritage. Actually there are several layers to the script and storyline, and they compliment one another quite nicely, and the writers really collaborated quite well in compiling a rather enjoyable comedy here.

There are some really good and genuinely funny moments throughout the course of the movie, and director Adele Lim had me laughing several times.

Not only was the storyline nice in the movie, but th character gallery as well. The four main characters in the movie, Audrey (played by Ashley Park), Lolo (played by Sherry Cola), Kat (played by Stephanie Hsu) and Deadeye (played by Sabrina Wu) were well-written characters with interesting characteristics and traits to them. I really enjoyed these four characters and their interactions and the situations they find themselves in throughout the course of the 95 minutes that the movie ran for.

The acting performances in "Joy Ride" were great, and the four main actresses Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu were not only well-cast for the roles and characters, but they also carried the movie quite nicely throughout the entire movie. And a lot of the overall enjoyment of the movie definitely rest on their accomplishments throughout the narrative of the movie.

If you enjoy comedies with a solid storyline as well, offering more than just cheap slapstick comedy, then director Adele Lim's 2023 movie "Joy Ride" certainly is well-worth taking 95 minutes to sit down and watch.

My rating of "Joy Ride" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

As of this month, Malaysian American filmmaker Adele Lim has released her directorial debut called Joy Ride. Written by former Family Guy writers Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao and co-produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the film has currently been garnering strong critical reviews and a fairly warm response from the general public. In a day and age where we are seeing a lot more representation in Asian American filmmaking, it's delightful to see a fun filled chick flick focusing on real people who are as messy and heartfelt as anyone else out there.

The film focuses on childhood friends Audrey Sullvian and Lolo Chen whose friendship comes to near turmoil on a business trip that leads into the origins of Audrey's real life family, all the while conflicting with the lives and careers of their friends and family. With the film establishing Audrey and Lolo's longtime friendship and contrasting differences, with one trying to discover themselves as a mature hard working lawyer and the other being a raunchy aspiring artist, arguably the most notable themes in Joy Ride deal with identity crisis and cultural expectations. In addition to the struggles of Lolo's quirky K-pop obsessed cousin Deadeye and Audrey's former college roommate turned popular Chinese actress Kat, the amount of conflicts the leads share as Asian American women of different backgrounds makes for a genuinely intriguing watch. Aided by a lot of hysterically energetic banter between Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu, one can see how much heart was elevated through an otherwise crazy thrill ride as far as raunchy comedies go these days.

Speaking of raunchy, perhaps the biggest selling point for the whole movie has to be the wacky hijink raunch factor as opposed to the heart. While there are a lot of observational jabs and one liners directed towards people based on race and gender, most of the humor relies on the shock value our leads get themselves into as they encounter one intense obstacle after another. Complete with full body cringe takes and raw sexual banter, there is almost no stoppage of comical situations to enhance the viewing experience, even if some scenes are less tasteful than others. As far as the filmmaking is concerned, Lim knows how to balance the more laid back conversational moments between characters before allowing the scenery to hone in on multiple exterior locations and fast paced timing. Paul Yee's cinematography helps the most in generating some brightly colorful sequences to expose the richness of China and its many exterior wonders. As introspective as the movie can be from a character study point of view, it also knows when to just have fun with itself.

While it is hard to say if Joy Ride will appeal to all movie going audiences during the intense summer blockbuster season, there is just enough sincere heart and shock humor around this character driven sex comedy. If you're down for a more intensely hysterical gross out road trip comedy as opposed to the bigger adventure and action flicks out there now, this one will definitely be up your alley, regardless if you relate to the characters culturally or not. As far as what this film may do for the careers of its lead filmmakers and actors, here's hoping this unapologetically honest film will keep the momentum going for a while.

Finally, a film this summer with the joy of Crazy Rich Asians and the raunchy absurdity of a Judd Apatow comedy or Bridesmaids or The Hangover. Why not? Because Joy Ride is produced by Seth Rogan, who knows absurd raunch, and directed by CRA's writer, Adele Lim.

The four stars of the film (Ashley Park as Audrey, Sherry Cola as Lolo, Sabrina Wu as Deadeye, and Stephanie Hsu as Kat) set out on a journey to Asia to help Audrey the lawyer do a job to guarantee her promotion and ultimately find her birth mother. The acerbic Lola goes to help her best bud, Audrey, who doesn't know Mandarin and Lola does. Deadeye has serious K-pop knowledge, and Kat, now a China screen star, is engaged to an attractive but very Christian co-star (Desmond Chiam).

Holding the chaos in check, Audrey, who orchestrates most of the comedy while retaining her laughably prim attorney vibe, is in a role easily evocative of Kristen Wig's in Bridesmaids. Deadeye plants the film firmly in the current gender identity arena.

Along the way they joke about both Asian and American stereotypes with the joie de vivre of healthy young women having a little fun far away from political correctness and decorum. Perhaps the best of the wildness comes in a reworking of the Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion big hit, "WAP." Catchy and inventive, that song has legs.

Amid the off-color jokes and absurd sexual situations is a theme of finding out who you are amidst the cultural pulls of Asia and America. Stereotypes of Asians and Asian Americans are rampant with attending laughs-nothing is off bounds for this satire.

The genius of Joy Ride is the consistently funny, ribald dialogue (Kat says, "My vagina is the devil and she's here to stay!") and rapid set ups that are hilarious and culturally relevant. Watch the Asian response when a family has a group hug: "White People." Enjoy your summer by starting out with this satisfying international work of comedic art.

The entire review could just be hey this movie is freaking funny and you should go see it. You don't have to read on. It hits straight out of the park and after the snooze fest movie I was watching before this it woke me up. Definitely has the hangover vibes and it's littered with unforgettable scenes.

It's a really fun sound track too, people were vibing and laughing in the cinema, definitely a movie you can watch on a Friday night with friends. On a side note it feels good to know enough Chinese to not need the subtitles. Also, i studied in Beijing for 5 years and this is the most chinese people I've seen speak English. The cast was great, like they were made for their roles and it looked like they had fun making it. It really is a joy ride, a chaotic international road trip adventure.

This is the funniest movie I've seen in a while, also probably the best movie I've seen in general too since everything everywhere all at once. Of course that's a high bar but this is if that, the hangover and crazy rich Asians had a daughter. Everybody at the theater seemed to be enjoying it, it really makes use of it's R rating so if you're prude or pious then it won't be for you. The story's amazing, I wasn't even expecting a plot twist; there's actually more to the story than just jokes even though it's littered with them. Story about friendship and family and finding yourself and avoiding drug dealers on trains. There's a lot of debauchery but it's beyond that and it's a beautiful touching story once the funny business is put aside. The first two thirds of the movie is mainly comedy so the emotional stuff almost hits you as a surprise.

I think the end was a little predictable and parts of the third act felt a little dragged out, just a tiny bit. The first half of the movie made me hope they make sequels, but the second half closed off the stories perfectly and I think they should just keep it a one off. The cast has talked about sequel though and I'll still be excited for it nevertheless. I definitely highly recommend you watch this, in a crowded theater if you can.

Joy Ride is a solidly entertaining X-rated comedy that will be sure to give you a good laugh.

It follows a group of American-Chinese friends who travel to China for a business trip which quickly descends into chaos.

A road trip descending into chaos doesn't exactly sound original, and it isn't. The story is unlikely to blow you away with this one, but it does the job. It leaves plenty of room for good comedic setups, and has a couple of decent emotional kickers in there too. It's well paced and has good momentum throughout.

As mentioned it is sure to give you a laugh as there are plenty of laugh out loud moments. The comedy is often quite bold and brash, but there are some nice subtle moments thrown in too. The whole theatre was laughing out loud which is always a good sign.

The performances are all really good, with some brilliant comedic timing and line deliveries. The four characters complement each other well and have great chemistry which is so vital in a comedy.

My only real criticism is that it does try a little too hard with its comedy and at times it is crude just for the sake of being crude. I can see why, as for so long women weren't really granted the opportunity to operate in the R-rated comedy space, but there was maybe a little over-correction of that imbalance here, leading to some cheap gags.

Overall though I think this film is a blast. Fun characters, lots of laughs, engaging plot, great performances. Definitely one to watch for any comedy fans out there.

Joy Ride has become a hilarious film, but occasionally crosses a line that is not really necessary. It ensures that the film is pure underpants fun, with the further course following the standard pattern that we have seen so much in these types of films. Still, the film definitely guarantees a fun evening and you will occasionally burst out laughing. The nicest figure in the film remains Deadeye, Lolo's niece who is crazy about K-Pop groups and is secretly in love with Audrey, but does not dare to come out publicly. There is a perfect pace in the film, the humor is largely genuinely funny and fun and the story itself can get on with it. This is perhaps the nicest banal comedy we've seen since The Hangover movies in this genre.

There's some whores in this house.

The WAP must be the highlight of the film among others.

This is a great film. I have not watched a good raunchy comedy films in a while and this is one great entry to it. It is fun and funny at the same time. It definitely has The Hangover vibes with The Bridesmaids flavour to it and has several laugh out loud moments.

Also it is clever and not just stupid dumb funny. It has heart to it as well but most importantly it's really funny. The female buddy comedy worked and it worked really well.

With the added cultural aspects and some deeper character development, this is a thoughtful examination of identity, cultural connection, personal history and growth. It's also fairly raunchy and lets it's ladies cut loose, providing a great mix of heartfelt moments and raw comedy.

A trip descending into chaos has been done many times but it still works if it's done right. As mentioned, it is sure to give plenty of laughs. The performance are all really good, with some brilliant comic timing. The four leads complement each other well and have a great chemistry throughout which is so vital in a comedy.

Overall, this film is an all and all comedy with some heart as well. Fun characters, lots of laughs, engaging plot, great performance all round. Definitely one to watch if you're looking for a good comedy.

7.7/10.

LIKES:

Quick Pace: -It feels like a joyride style pace, quick, unpredictable and very much to the point.

-Like Hangover and Due Date, it jumps quickly through the moments and gets to the point of having fun in the most concise time possible.

-And if you just want that fun, full throttle pace, then this movie has a factory that is good for you.

Exploring Parts of Asia -Good cinematography brings the country and cities to life and adds a bit more realism and fun to the mix.

-It takes the facets of life and puts the twist on it and allows you to have a fun experience that maybe gets a little more informative then you would think.

-And the theater to all the antics, was very fun, dynamic, and offered a lot land to play around in and have a lot of cultural shenanigans come out of it.

-So very fun

The Music: -Do you like K-Pop and Asian Techno? If so, this movie is for you.

-Joyride is a joy with the use of the tunes, bringing the energy of the genre out in the tunes that cover the scenic moments.

-There is a lot of beet and bass that is fun, but even more so is just how it adds that adventure and vacation atmosphere. Parties feeling upbeat with the bass, wild nights with the same vibe, and other adventures that all work with the musical genre.

-And don't forget the original song that is sure to be a hit on many things on the Internet, that is catchy, TikTok like, and somehow works into the ridiculous story And if the trend of Mario is anything, will be a number one hit.

The Acting.

-Most of the linked crew are first appearances and they did well, but the movie is more about the four non top billed groups and their ability to make characters -Ashley Park is the ringleader to an extent, a wise, powerful, and charismatic lead who had a bit of range and helps keep the group grounded but also goes into the shenanigans at times painting a fun and dynamic character -Sherry Cola is as fun as her name, an Awkwafina like charm, but with more edge and grunginess that works well with the group and gets a bit curbed at times.

-Sabrina Wu might have been my second character, especially at the end when the heart comes out. But she serves sort of the Seth Rogen style of comedy, namely in the extreme stupidity that somehow works to break the tension.

Stephanie Hsu is the one that has the Mean Girl spirit played well, that dives deep and comes out strong to balance out the girl group.

-The four of them work greatly together and I quite enjoyed how well they blended, meshed, and played with each other character qualities. Much like the Girls Trip bunch from before.

The Comedy At Times: -Joy Ride works in many elements where I was laughing at the way words were delivered and the comedic timing. It's simple, that finesse in delivery just fun, and the attitude sells so many of the jokes.

-Other slapstick moments work in the way it proceeds, a pop and lock dance style really working for me, while other awkward moments won points for the reactions.

-As the story progresses, seeing the consequences of the actions has that "Oh Snap" moment and that too kind of adds some extra humor to the moment for fans like me.

-Many I feel are going to like a lot of the banter as well. Though not always for me, there is something about the realistic gossip and smack talk that works as well. Having such a posse works to add fun, but give those characters you can attach to go on the adventure.

-I will say it also helps if you have an understanding or relevance to the culture humor as well, as this will probably further enhance your experience.

The Story: -Surprisingly, the story has a bit more kick than I got from the trailer with a few twists thrown into the mix.

-Joy Ride may be about eighty percent stupid fun and debauchery, but there is a story underlying it that drives me to stay interested.

-Even more surprising is some decent character development, and those tear jerking moments that allowed me to see more int the characters and appreciate them for who they were.

-And when it all closes out. It feels complete, leave open for more fun in a good way, and yet feels in tandem with the theme of the movie. A nice surprise for a movie like this having a little more to it.

DISLIKES

The Language -The movie shows how promising it could be with smart writing, delivery, and balance. That goes out the window quickly.

-Joy Ride is a curse fest and starts using a lot of my least favorite words quite easily leading to this reviewer not having as much fun.

-Seasoning is fine, timing Is important, but dropping into the overuse and obsession to curse did little to help me in the grand scheme of things.

The Client Being A Lame Story Element: -Much of the first third of the movie is about this big deal and trying to impress a client. Again, that goes out the window.

-Certainly hitting key moments, the whole client that the movie tries to make you think will be big, is kind of thin, a comic device with little heft and even less screen time.

-It's a shame, because that added a bit of a timeline and edge to get the events done, but again fizzles out and leads me feeling bored in the grand scheme of things.

Predictable: -The twists aren't necessarily a surprise, at least story, and much of the movie writes itself for very easy to guess things.

-An agenda based moment gets in the way of the promising development, and though not the worst, sometimes veers too much into the racial jokes that did little for me.

-What works though is the surprise of the emotion and taking those moments further than I expected to help, alongside the fact that most people are going to have fun with the comedy aspects that predictability is not that big of a hit.

-In addition, I wish we had had more variety in what trouble they got into. Sure there were different things happening in different parts of the country, but I was hoping for a little more variety.

-A video game issue? How about some type of anime or quirky little fashion issue? Or something involving animals?

-That variety might have helped this component, or at least helped the next and last dislike for me.

A Bit Too Aggressive: -The movie is not like Bridesmaids, Hangover, or even Girl's Trip in which there are some Oh wow moments, but still mostly contained.

-From the get go, this movie is very in your face, an aggressive, no hold back comedy, that the synopsis does warn you about, and I reiterate that warning.

-Joy Ride is hypersexual. That style doesn't do as much for me as others, and the crude, lewd, and often very visual style might have you turning away from the on screen antics.

-Drug use goes very far and often is very unfiltered, going far beyond a lot of the Stoner Films we have had in the past.

-Sure, it can be silly and fun, but beware of the raunchy bits and avoid this film if you don't want some of the grosser, in depth, violation of space that this movie has no problems doing.

-At times, I get why they did it. However, I think Joy Ride was overkill with ease and can't say that I personally found every moment necessary, fun, or even relevant to the full story when again there were other things to explore.

The VERDICT

Joy Ride is one of those films that is certainly one talk about given they hype and fun they built into the movie. This very R rated film has a lot of antics to enjoy with the four friends, mixing classic 2000 comedy, with Adult Swim attitude and an Asian energy that I think works in tandem very well to give you something fun. I did have fun with the film, and will say I laughed thanks to the impressive delivery and chemistry of the movie. While it is certainly extreme and potentially geared to a certain audience variety, the movie does promise a Joy Ride and you kind of get it. Surprisingly though, there is more depth to the characters than I imagined and think this is the redeeming factor of the movie for me in the beauty that lies beneath the layer of plot armor and entertainment aspect. There is caution though in how aggressive this movie is and the limitations that came with it. If you can't handle language, high sexual content, and aggressive levels to the point of overkill, then don't see this movie, because you will get more than your fill on it. This style doesn't do much for me anymore, and without the variety to balance it out, this movie quite honestly is a tad too much in pushing boundaries with everything they are trying to do. For those that love those types of movies though, get set for a laugh riot and diving into the deluge of comedic antics that they have in store for you. Balancing all that, Joy Ride is a fun film and one that if you can go as a group, would maximize the theater. However, for others, you might have a better time taking the risk with your friends at home. My scores for the film are:

Comedy: 7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0.

I was cackling and guffawing through this. I could predict every plot point and yet I wasn't bored at all. A by-the-numbers raunchy comedy that worked.

Hsu has been a roll. From her ATT commercials, to Mrs Maisel, to Everything EVerywhere, and now this, she's starting be a must-watch star for her comedic stuff. The other cast members I hadn't seen before but they were all pretty good.

I think one of the reasons, this worked for me was I know people like this. There are two people in my office who kinda of act like these characters, the KPOP nut and the stoner art chick.

Worth the price of admission.

Firstly, I should say this isn't my sort of comedy usually, not usually my street. Therefore, the fact that I laughed out loud numerous times should be taken as a compliment, even if quite a few jokes didn't land for me at all.

Ultimately, this was an absolutely wild ride, enjoyable, raunchy, cringe out, nice mix of slapstick, expertly timed delivery of some truly great dialogue. It continued to surprise me.

But therein lies the biggest problem for me personally. I connect especially with comedies with heart. For others that may not be the case. That's fine. But for me, there's so much absurdity that the film meanders copiously from the emotional core and almost central plot of the film. The one scene that is truly emotional could have been more so if there had been a more compelling narrative push. I would also say that while an argument (I'll say no more) near the end was delivered in an exceptionally brutal way that definitely should have been handled better if it was in reality, but the apology felt like backtracking on the substance-I thought the.main character was 100% right, and so the backtracking didn't feel earned necessarily.

Overall, very entertaining and funny, but if you're looking for something more than 1 emotional anchor...this won't do it for you.

This is probably the biggest difference with how I felt about a movie at the beginning versus the end. It starts off with a really funny scene that made me burst out laughing. That scene told me what I was in for, a raunchy and crass R-rated comedy that holds nothing back. I was excited since we barely ever get those movies any more.

As it goes on, the comedy gets weaker. A lot of it feels completely forced. So much of the comedy arises from contrived situations that make no sense. Some scenes are there for no other reason than shock factor and are otherwise unfunny.

It becomes dumber and dumber until the word "dumb" isn't strong enough to describe it. And the comedic situations only happen because of this moronic writing. But I can still enjoy a comedy if it's unrealistic...

Unfortunately this movie is barely a comedy during the last act. They lean heavily on the drama side. It's so cheesy and forced, accompanied by sappy music. Even worse, it's all so predictable. A character says, "don't tell her I might move to LA." Can you guess what happens later in the movie???

But the single worst part about this movie is a character named Deadeye, whose over-the-top goofy comedic attempts are super cringe-y. It's shockingly bad.

I don't take pleasure in trashing this movie. I wanted to like it. And with comedy movies becoming so rare, I'm thirsty for anything I can get. But it has to be better than this. (1 viewing, early fan screening 7/5/2023)

Joy Ride (2023) is a raunchy and crude road comedy film directed by Adele Lim and starring Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu. The film follows four friends -- Audrey (Park), Lolo (Cola), Deadeye (Wu), and Kat (Hsu) -- as they travel across Asia in search of one of their birth mothers.

The film is a complete and utter mess. The humor is juvenile and offensive, the characters are unlikable and underdeveloped, and the plot is nonsensical. The film also has a serious problem with tone, veering wildly between crude comedy and serious drama.

The film's only saving grace is its cast, who do their best to make the material work. However, even their efforts are not enough to salvage this train wreck of a film.

Overall,Joy Ride is a terrible film that is not worth watching. I give it 1 star out of 10.

Here are some of the specific problems with the film:

The humor is juvenile and offensive. The film relies on cheap sex jokes and stereotypes, and it never seems to understand what is funny.

The characters are unlikable and underdeveloped. The four friends are all one-dimensional stereotypes, and they are never given any real depth or development.

The plot is nonsensical. The film's story is completely unbelievable, and it makes no sense.

The film has a serious problem with tone. The film veers wildly between crude comedy and serious drama, and it never seems to find a consistent tone.

If you're looking for a good comedy, I would recommend watching something else. Joy Ride is a complete waste of time.

Got some really good laughs in the beginning but not so much in the end. As Everything Everywhere All At Once wins the big lot in the past Oscar, a barrage amount of movies and tv series focusing American Chinese/Asians blossom. Joy Ride takes it to the comical extreme, utilizing out-of-context dialogues, overly exaggerated movements, and classic Asian comedy, which had me rocking back and forth in my chair to hold my laughs and tears. However, the last hour of the story is basically the essence of a mediocre soap opera, as the film becomes nothing more valuable than its jokes. Another thing to be complimented is how the movie accurate captures the struggle of Asian Americans, feeling expected, excluded, or desexualized. In all, comedy is the main course for this one, and everything else is pretty weak.

I do love it when Girls behave badly in movies. I just feel you don't see it enough. Sometimes you got to expose yourself for a laugh and that's what Joy Ride does. From a cultural standpoint I found it amusing to see how other cultures jokes landed on me. I though every scene was absolutely gut busting. I may have missed a few but only because I was laughing so hard.

From the moment i saw the trailer in the theater i had a good feeling that this joint would not disappoint and I'm happy to say i got all the laughs i was expecting and a little more. Far rawer and raunchy than I expected.

It's no Bridesmaid but a great film.

Good -There are comedic moments to be had throughout the movie although the beginning is stronger -You could say its nice to see cultural representation in the cast, jokes, and production

Bad -At a runtime of 1hr 35min, still felt a bit long -Ending not much of a satisfying conclusion and sort of just didn't know how to end, -Did not feel too much attachment to the characters

Overall -It's in the same situation as "Crazy Rich Asians" where that was for the most part an above-average rom-com with Asian influences. This film is one of the more solid comedies in recent memory but doesn't add anything new or change the game in terms of R-Rated comedy/story.

-With the director and screenwriters having a limited filmography, mainly limited to TV shows, it sort of shows as the cast bounce from one place to another, with a plot that doesn't really have much depth, but more so comedic/slapstick moments, granted when going to these films you aren't really looking for that.

-In comparing to the recent "No Hard Feeelings" I prefer "Joy Ride" as they are about the same but "Joy Ride" to me had more comedic moments, yet "No Hard Feelings" did have the star power of Jennifer Lawrence -Its good to see more raunchy comedies coming out although none reaching the heights of those in the late 2000s-2010s

3/5.

It was fun crowd pleaser.

Raunchy/adult comedies are usually not my cup of tea but Joy Ride was pretty entertaining throughout. Director Adele Lim has written "Crazy Rich Asians" and "Raya and the Last Dragon" which I thought were fun flicks and Lim does a pretty good job with her first directing feature on balancing the comedic tones and structures together. The performances from Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu are really good as all four have pretty great chemistry between each other which helped make their characters pretty fun to observe throughout the ridiculous scenarios. Alongside the dialogue moments were pretty good for the most part.

The humorous aspects were pretty good as there were fun jokes and lines regarding Asian culture, girly themes, and sexual themes that were well-written without feeling too forced although certain moments were a bit meh. It has a pretty good pacing with some really nice shots of the environment. It's not a perfect film as there are some production backgrounds and settings that were noticeably cheap, some of the editing choices were a bit off and the ending felt a bit abrupt. But overall, it's a fun summer comedy film that doesn't take itself seriously and provides some really good chemistry from the cast and comedic banter throughout.

Joy Ride (2023) is a movie that my wife and I caught in theaters today. The storyline follows an orphaned Asian young lady who grew up with an Asian best friend. She grows up to be a successful lawyer and is asked to go to China 🇨🇳 and close a mega deal that will lead to a significant promotion. Her childhood best friend agrees to go with her and her best friend from college is already in China and agrees to meet her too. As the girls try to work together to close the deal everything goes wrong.

This movie is directed by Adele Lim, in her directorial debut, and stars Ashley Park (Beef), Sherry Cola (I Love Dick), Sabrina Wu (Doogie Kamealoha, MD), Stephanie Hsu (The Path), Timothy Simmons (Don't Worry Darling) and Kenneth Liu (The Midnight Club).

This movie is way better than I anticipated and actually reminded me of The Hangover. The casting for the characters was well done and fit perfectly. There's a good mix of different personalities within the storyline that are fun to watch mix. There's also some worthwhile and deep sub plots. The comedic content is fantastic, raunchy and very well written. The conclusion leaves you wanting a sequel.

Overall, this was a fantastic addition to the comedic genre that's absolutely worth your time. I would score this an 8/10 and strongly recommend it.

A good example of a funny but dirty comedy. This film is a solid choice for any comedy enjoyer with its unique style and jokes, although very dirty at times it does make you laugh every now and then. The acting is solid and the director manages to merge a good story with modern music, filming techniques and humour. It also really vividly and clearly reflects the contrast between the world, people and cultures in an understandable intriguing and humorous manner. Although sometimes the dirty jokes got a bit much the movie managed to keep me interested from start to finish. I'd recommend to watch this with someone.

Terribly unfunny. Honestly, probably the least enjoyable film I'd seen in a long time, I don't even know what I could compare it to. The jokes were just a complete miss - not funny, far too obvious to be funny to be honest, juvenile humour, and a boring plot. At one point they tried to give the film some 'feeling', but the scene just fell terribly flat given the rest of the films vibe.

Maybe this will be a hit for some people, but definitely not my kind of film at all. Was super disappointed by the secret screening - had hoped for something better but I suppose that's the luck of the draw.

Wouldn't recommend.