The “Bro” comedy is a sub-genre that holds a certain nostalgia for many. It doesn’t matter the decade. It defines a certain sense of youth and frivolity. Boys will be boys, after all. However, that doesn’t always have to always be the case. Girls can cause mischief too. However, we don’t always get the chance to see it. This week, Joy Ride hits theaters ready to not only play in, but also redefine, the “Bro” comedy genre. Will this ride coast easily on cruise control? Or will it hit traffic?
Joy Ride follows Audrey (Ashley Park). A fast-rising young lawyer. She has everything going for her. So, when she gets the opportunity to take a work trip to China, it’s too good an opportunity to pass up. Not only was she born in China before being adopted, but it also gives her the opportunity to reconnect with old friends. You know what that means, a girls’ trip! There are misadventures and chaos as the women learn about not only themselves but each other with all the joy of a raunchy comedy.
Stephanie Hsu, Sabrina Wu, Sherry Cola and Desmond Chiam co-star in the movie. Adele Lim directs Joy Ride from a script by Teresa Hsiao and Cherry Chevapravatdumrong.
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What struck me was how comfortable Joy Ride is playing in raunchy, R-rated comedy. I will admit, I wasn’t expecting that. Cherry Chevapravatdumrong is a name likely familiar to many who’ve watched tv in the last fifteen years. She’s one of the largely unsung stalwarts in TV comedy, having remained one of Family Guy‘s most consistent writers dating back to the show’s fourth season. She’s worked largely in the Seth MacFarlane sphere, also writing on The Orville and with fellow Family Guy alum Chris Sheridan on Resident Alien.
Co-writer Teresa Hsiao also cut her teeth on Family Guy before jumping to the Seth MacFarlane adjacent show American Dad.
These titles go a long way toward showing Joy Ride‘s tone. It has no problem going “adult.” In fact, it’s very grown-up. For me, this film taps into a nostalgia harkening back to movies like American Pie, Saving Silverman and The Hangover. While raunchy comedies have always existed, Joy Ride feels right at home alongside the golden age of this particular brand of “Bro” comedy.
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At the same time though, Joy Ride takes an additional step. The combined talent in this cast allows the film to also dive into these characters. This is yes, an R-rated comedy. At the same time though, it’s exploring very personal issues involving race, identity, and friendship.
Through all the sex, the drugs, and the body humor, there is so much humanity here. Chevapravatdumrong and Hsiao’s script gels with these performances to create four believable and deeply relatable women in a complicated depiction of female friendship. These performers never stoop to crafting caricatures. Throughout the film, it’s possible to identify with each of these characters in their alternating insecurities, thirst, gumption, and annoyance with people. We’ve all been there.
Joy Ride‘s most significant struggle for me came in the overall tonal structure. While there’s real power in this story and in these characters, there’s a very noticeable divide between the comedic first half and the dramatic conclusion. The first two acts are such a fun experience that as things slow down to get in touch with the emotional arc, the shift felt drastic into the final stretch. This leaves the movie feeling a bit long in the grand scheme of things.
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Ultimately though, Joy Ride hits theaters ready to redefine the “Bro” comedy. It’s not just for the boys, it seems. In fact, it’s far more complicated than that. Thanks to the flexibility of this talented and charismatic cast, Joy Ride steps beyond the standard comedy to tell an important and deeply personal story. Look for more from this talented creative team in the future.
Joy Ride opens in theaters around the country today.
Check out our other movie reviews, here.
This review was originally published on 7/7/23.
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/indiana-jones-and-the-dial-of-destiny-movie-review-harrison-ford/
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