Following the highly enjoyable, The Blackening R-rated comedies continue to make a welcome return to cinemas in Joy Ride from Lionsgate Films. Adele Lim directs the film and writes the screenplay with Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao.
Overachiever Audrey (Ashley Park) has the task of seeing a new client for her law firm in China. Audrey was adopted as an infant and doesn’t know much about her heritage. She barely speaks Chinese, which sets up the perfect window for Lolo (Sherry Cola), her irreverent childhood best friend who is also a hot mess, to tag along and serve as a translator.
Also along for the ride are Kat (Stephanie Hsu), Audrey’s college friend turned Chinese soap star, and Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), Lolo’s eccentric cousin. Naturally, the trip goes sideways, leading to a no-holds-barred, epic experience becoming a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging, and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are.
Joy Ride appears similar to Girls Trip but with four Asian-American women and the group dynamics of Bridesmaids. The script sets up a workable story where Audrey’s Chinese contact thinks it’s important to know where you come from. Audrey decides to look for her biological mother in China to make a good impression at a party for the contact’s mother.
Naturally, a series of comedic hijinks ensure as the quadrant of friends race to the film’s finish line. All of the ladies in the movie get a chance to shine. Ashley Park is our lead, so she’s the butt of some jokes, but it works. Fresh off her Oscar Nomination, Stephanie Hsu effortlessly taps into a sex-positive character trying to practice celibacy for her fiancé. At the same time, Sherry Cola and Sabrina Wu keep the one-liners coming.
One of the most surprising things about Joy Ride is the film tactfully the racism within the Asian community and sheds light on Audrey’s arduous journey of being an Asian individual raised in a family dominated by whites.
Joy Ride fearlessly shocks with its gross-out gags, but what truly surprises is the successful blending of its raunchy humor with genuine heart, all thanks to the cast’s authentic performances.
Final Grade: B+
Joy Ride is in theaters now. |
Martial arts auteur Siyu Cheng delivers his latest action-packed fest in “The Tai Chi Master” from Well Go USA. The Tai Chi Master” examines the journey of Zhang Junbao, a dedicated disciple of Wuji, who emerges as a crucial figure during significant upheaval.
On a musical level, the documentary is a library of Williams’ great works. It’s dramatic performances of his most famous songs, such as the classic “Star Wars” marches, the grand piano music from “Jurassic Park,” and the melancholy music from “Schindler’s List.” Each song is part of a narrative, a call to revisit old films and remember their heart-wrenching connections. Its thrilling finale (which celebrated his work on “Harry Potter”) also underscores the longevity of his music among audiences today.
Megan Fox teams up with director S.K. Dale to bring her feminine wiles to the world of A.I. in “Subservience” from XYZ Films. Will Honley and April Maguire wrote the film’s screenplay. Alice (Fox) is a lifelike, artificially intelligent android who can care for any family and home. Looking for help with the housework, struggling father Nick (Michele Morrone) purchases Alice after his wife Maggie (Madeline Zima) becomes sick. Alice suddenly becomes self-aware and wants everything her new family has to offer, starting with the affection of her owner — and she’ll kill to get it.