Joy Ride – Budget Unknown – 1 hour and 35 minutes
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Joy and Mary Sullivan carefully approach two parents at the park and ask if their daughter, Audrey, can play with the couple’s daughter, Lolo. At first, Lolo’s parents wonder why until they see that Audrey is Asian and adopted. The two girls run to the park to play, and a boy tells them they can’t because of their race. Lolo curses him out and punches him in the face. Lolo and Audrey become best friends.
Twenty-five years later, Audrey is a successful associate lawyer. Audrey’s boss, Frank, will send Audrey to Beijing to close a deal with their potential client. Frank tells her she will become a partner at their L.A. office if she gets the client. Audrey assures them she will get the job done. Audrey knows her Mandarin isn’t good. So she asked Lolo to join her. Lolo is a body and sex-positive artist that lives in Audrey’s garage. Before the trip, the women have dinner with their parents. Audrey’s parents bring out her old photos and go through them. Inside the box is a picture of Audrey with her birth mom. It’s the first time Lolo saw the picture. They flip it over, and Lolo notices it has the adoption agency written on the back in Mandarin. Lolo thinks they should use the trip to find Audrey’s mom, as they dreamed of as kids. Audrey says no because her parents are all she needs.
At the airport, Lolo and Audrey reveal secrets. Lolo invited her cousin, Vanessa, a.k.a. Deadeye. Deadeye and Audrey had unfortunate run-ins. Lolo promises that Deadeye will meet friends and leave them when they land in Beijing. Audrey says they will meet her college friend, Kat, a famous actress in China. Lolo rolls her eyes because she thinks Kat is snooty. Audrey makes Lolo vow to be nice to Kat.
They land in Beijing, but Deadeye stays with them. They meet Kat on set to see her wrap the movie early. Kat introduces them to her fiancé, Clarence. Clarence has a proud relationship with Christ and praises Kat for saving herself until their wedding day. Lolo holds back her laughter because she remembers Audrey’s stories about their college days and Kat’s private tattoo. Since Kat’s movie is complete, she offers to be Audrey’s translator. But Lolo tells Kat that Audrey chose her for the job. Lolo and Kat argue, but Audrey agrees to have them all come to the club to meet the client. Then, Kat pulls Audrey aside to give Audrey some great news. Kat got an acting job in L.A., so they can live in the same neighborhood when Audrey gets her promotion. Audrey wants to celebrate but tells Kat to keep it quiet because Audrey hasn’t told Lolo she will move. Kat vows to stay mum.
After a wild night of partying and drinking 1000-year-old egg shots, Audrey sits with the client, and he asks about her family. She stammers over a response when Lolo interjects that Audrey was adopted, but she is close to her birth mom and came to Beijing to visit her. The client invites Audrey and her mom to his family celebration. He will decide to hire Audrey and her company then. Audrey is furious that Lolo lied to the client. But Lolo assumed Audrey would change her mind and called the agency before they landed. This business trip changes to an adventure of self-discovery of friendship, ancestry, and nationality.
Wow. Just wow. This movie will have you crying from laughter and sadness. It beautifully addresses issues with humor and heart. There hasn’t been a movie this shockingly funny since The Hangover (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). You can’t guess what these four women will do or where the trip will take them. They take on drugs, take out a basketball team, and tear up the club. And let’s not forget the tattoo that will live rent-free in your mind. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. At the movie’s core, viewers will get four women who feel out of place. Audrey comes from two worlds without a foot firmly in either. Lolo exudes positivity and strength but feels unsuccessful. Kat plays the innocent girl but hides her past from her fiancé and fans. And the socially awkward Deadeye needs a real-life friend. No matter your background, you can connect with one of the characters. Joy Ride is a roller coaster of emotions that begs for a sequel.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
Damn it. You’re right – Lolo
You had me at ‘hi’ – Deadeye
Let’s start with the A’s – Kat
He’s a good father – Audrey
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Categories: Ashley Park, In The Theater, Joy Ride, movie, review, Sabrina Wu, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu
thatdarngirlmovie.reviews 
Hello there,
Interesting post
I loved reading about Joy Ride, it seems like a really entertaining and touching movie! The story of friendship and self-discovery in an international journey sounds like a great premise. I am curious if the movie also delves deeper into the theme of identity in relation to adoption, and how it impacts Audrey’s character throughout the film?
Thank you
– Stephen Wilk
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Absolutely. And that’s the part that will make you cry. I didn’t talk about it too much in the post because its a huge plot twist for the film and I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. But her coming to terms with her race, nationality, racism, and culture is sprinkled throughout the movie but it is the lynchpin of her friendship and the focus of the film.
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