Rent Joy Ride (2023)

Hilarious Adult Comedy - Joy Ride review by GI

Hilarious and deliciously ribald adult comedy that also has some sharp observations on self identity and cultural belonging. There's gross out moments in this no holds barred story of four unlikely friends who go to China on a journey of self discovery and yet the film also has a beautiful emotional moment or two that makes this endlessly enjoyable. Ashley Park plays Audrey, a Chinese American who was adopted at birth by a white couple. She has become an ambitious lawyer but maintained her childhood friendship with Lolo (Sherry Cola), who is a wayward artist never afraid of expressing her opinions. When Audrey is sent by her boss to China to secure a new contract Lolo tags along and brings her weird cousin, Dead Eye (Sabrina Wu) along much to Audrey's consternation. Once in China they team up with Audrey's Uni friend, Kat (Stephanie Hsu), a Tv actress desperate to hide her sexually wild past. Lolo has a plan to find Audrey's birth mother but Audrey is less keen. The film is really a series of incidents almost like comedy skits as these four journey across China. Of course they get into all sorts of scrapes and have plenty of rows and adventures. It's all very adult, sometimes outrageously so, but very funny and well worth checking out.