‘Joy Ride’ (2023) Blu-Ray Review – A Win For Fans Of Unhinged, Hilarious Raunchy Comedies

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

From the producers of Neighbors and the co-screenwriter of Crazy Rich Asians, JOY RIDE stars Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Oscar® nominee Stephanie Hsu (2022, Actress in a Supporting Role, Everything Everywhere All at Once), and Sabrina Wu. The hilarious and unapologetically explicit story of identity and self-discovery centers on four unlikely friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime international adventure. When Audrey’s (Ashley Park) business trip to Asia goes sideways, she enlists the aid of Lolo (Sherry Cola), her irreverent, childhood best friend who also happens to be a hot mess; Kat (Stephanie Hsu), her college friend turned Chinese soap star; and Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), Lolo’s eccentric cousin. Their no-holds-barred, epic experience becomes 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.

For in-depth thoughts on Joy Ride, please see my colleague Caillou Pettis’s review from its original theatrical release here.  

Video Quality

Lionsgate Home Entertainment brings Joy Ride to Blu-Ray with a terrific 1080p video presentation in its original 2.39:1. The flesh tones are natural with a favorable amount of detail present in close-ups, especially with the texture of the makeup. The presentation allows for a substantial amount of depth on display, especially when the characters are out in rural areas. As you would hope from a brand new film, the image is practically flawless with the vibrant natural color palette leaping off the screen. The film deploys nice splashes of vivid colors within the clothing, foliage and production design which delivers a gorgeous visual aesthetic. These elements provide clear textural details which you can easily observe in every frame. Highlights show no signs of blooming, and the black levels are deep with no exceptional digital noise. Lionsgate has given this one a first rate visual presentation. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a surprisingly robust Dolby Atmos track that serves up a raucous audio experience. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being overshadowed by any competing sounds. Kinetic sequences are not your typical shootouts or fast cars, but rather marathon drug smuggling and sex scenes – and they all supply the necessary depth. Other environmental sounds engage the surround speakers in a deeply felt manner. The soundtrack fills the speakers in a powerful, well-balanced way which makes the narrative spring to life.

Ambient sounds of the city or drunken shenanigans at the club are purposefully placed in the rear and surround channels. The height channels are not carrying the majority of the information, but they allow the world to feel a bit more expansive and three dimensional. The audio track proves to be quite the dynamic sounding presentation for this feature. Lionsgate has nailed it when it comes to the audio here. There are optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided. 

Special Features

• A Grand Adventure – Making Joy Ride: A 15-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the development of the film, personal elements woven into the script, finding the right performers for these characters, what they each bring to their roles, the atmosphere on set and more.

• Adele Lim, Director – A Siren Call To Hollywood: A five-minute piece on director Adele Lim and her journey from growing up in Malaysia to Hollywood, how she works as a first-time director, the balancing of the tone and more.

• A Place Of Joy – “R” Is For Representation: A nearly eight-minute look at the refreshing tone and approach to Asian representation on screen and what it means to the performers bringing this story to life. 

• Never Too Much – A Comedic Lovefest: A six-minute examination of the balance of “raunchy” comedy that pushes boundaries and the love that holds it all together. 

• WAP Sing-along: A minute-and-a-half sing-along to one of the most memorable moments in the film. 

• WAP Solo Cast Choreography: A brief look at the green-screen footage of the WAP video. 

• • Audrey (0:53)

• • Lolo (1:04)

• • Kat (1:13)

• • Dead Eye (0:52)

• Deleted Scene: A two-minute unused scene between Lolo and Kat which deepens their connection and sets up some developments with Clarence. 

• Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute red-band trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

Joy Ride is another major win for fans of unhinged raunchy comedies first and foremost, and also a welcome bit of representation for typically overlooked groups in Hollywood. The humor is based in something personal and specific, but it hits in a way that is universally hilarious and relatable. Beneath the outrageous exterior lies a narrative that is very heartfelt and centered in friendship. The entire cast has multiple moments to shine, and even the handful of slower moments are still pretty engaging overall. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and a nice array of special features. If you love R-rated comedies, this one will serve you very well. Recommended 

Joy Ride will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on September 12, 2023. This film is currently available on Digital. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.