Review of Joy Ride (2023) by Actorstherapy — 09 Jul 2023

Okay... so I got to see this movie at the LA Premiere. However, I've been holding off on reviewing because I wasn't sure if we were able to talk about it. Of course we were. And we should have. It was freaking hilarious.

Now sure, they aren't really breaking any molds here... 4 super different misfits yet similar cruising around an unknown place discovering things about themselves and how their relationships work... think City Slickers, The Hangover, Bridesmaids, Girl Trip, etc.

Now, raise the raunchy factor up a few notches, add in K-pop, drug muling, and Chinese Soaps and you get somewhat of an approximation of Joy Ride. But aside from the raunchy LOL humor, what really got me was the story and its depictions of the challenges that Asian Americans go through in connecting with their "home country".

As the child of both immigrants and 3 generations of Asian American AND the sibling of an adoptee, I can't even begin to describe how many boxes this movie checked for me on a personal level. Go see it.

You'll never look at Cardi B and the Eiffel Tower the same way again.