TEXAS, USA —
JOY RIDE
First, it was Jennifer Lawrence in "No Hard Feelings" – a hard 'R' Summer comedy that proves girls can be just as raunchy as guys. Now, it's "Joy Ride," which takes that affirmation to new levels. Seth Rogen is a producer.
Does that help the set-up?
Two Asian Americans have been friends since childhood where they were the only ones of their ethnicity in the neighborhood. Fast forward ... and one, who was an overseas adoption (Ashley Park), is a corporate lawyer with a big deal to close in China.
But she doesn't speak the language.
So, she enlists her bestie (Sherry Cola), an unemployed toy inventor, to come along and interpret. Soon, the group is three with the friend's cousin (Sabrina Wu in her movie debut) tagging along ... and why not four when they meet up with the lawyer's college roommate (Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu) who's an actor in China.
When the lawyer's prospective business partner balks because she's not part of his culture, her friend suggests they track down her natural mother while they're there.
Here goes the ride, and it all quickly goes off the rails ... literally ... when they become human contraband mules aboard a train. Then comes a parade of kinky sex and other physical comedy, including masquerading as a K-POP band and the actress's accidental reveal of a secret deeply held from her chaste fiancé.
Let's just say the devil is in the details.
"Joy Ride" made its world premiere at last Spring's "SXSW." It's directed and co-written by Adele Lim who also co-wrote "Crazy Rich Asians," monastic by comparison.
The young people in my audience were frequently howling with laughter, and, I admit, there's a lot that's really funny here. But it's definitely not for the easily offended. That's not me, but I do wonder: Just because you can be as raunchy as the guys, does that mean to must be?
I guess the expression: "When they go low, we go high" does not apply to sex comedies. When the end of the movie becomes absolutely heartfelt and an honest exploration of how we see ourselves, you find yourself asking "where did this come from?" Maybe, other than a kids' friendship, it should have led from the start.
(Lionsgate. Rated R. Running Time 1 hr. 35 mins. In Theaters Only.)
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