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.
