NEW YORK (OSV News) – Hollywood has decided that Asian American women deserve their very own raunchy road movie. And so viewers are invited along for “Joy Ride” (Lionsgate). They’d do well to skip the trip.
The comedy, veteran screenwriter Adele Lim’s directorial debut, centers on best friends since childhood Audrey (Ashley Park) and Lolo (Sherry Cola). An opening sequence set in 1998 shows us that their bond was formed in part because they were the only Chinese American kids in the small Northwestern town in which they were raised.
The pair, however, have grown up to be very different. Audrey is a successful, hard-driving lawyer while Lolo is a quirky artist whose work is explicitly erotic. With no interest in a steady income or a stable career, Lolo lives for free in Audrey’s garage.
Audrey’s longstanding ambition to be made a partner will be realized if she can land a client she’s been wooing during a forthcoming trip to Beijing. Since Lolo has a far better command of Mandarin than her bestie, she’s invited along as Audrey’s interpreter.
The duo soon becomes a quartet with the addition of Audrey’s college roommate, Kat (Stephanie Hsu) — now a celebrated Chinese soap opera star — and Lolo’s eccentric cousin, Deadeye (Sabrina Wu). Together they embark on a series of what script collaborators Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao apparently consider rib-tickling escapades.
There are some insights into the complexities of ethnic identity along the way, as well as a briefly touching emotional interlude. But these are swamped by a consistently debased view of human sexuality and relentlessly vulgar dialogue throughout.
Menaced by all that’s thrown at them during this thoroughly unsavory excursion to the city once known as Peking, movie fans should duck.
The film contains skewed values, strong sexual content, including aberrant behavior and graphic nudity, a couple of profanities, several milder oaths, pervasive rough and crude language and obscene gestures. The OSV News classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
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