R-rated comedies are making a big comeback this summer. Hollywood’s latest offering is Adele Lim’s directorial debut, Joy Ride – not to be confused with Olivia Coleman’s 2022 Joyride or Steve Zahn and Paul Walker’s 2001 road trip thriller Joy Ride.

2023’s Joy Ride is hilariously fun tale about four Chinese-American friends taking a trip to China. Best friends Audrey (Ashley Park) and Lolo (Sherry Cola) are making the trip along with their college friend Kat (Stephanie Hsu) and Lolo’s cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu). It’s not long before the trip goes off the rails. During their visit, the group attempts to find Audrey’s birth mother which brings its own set of complications for their friend dynamic and the trip.

The film has the usual tropes for R-rated comedies. There’s a strange friendship dynamic for the trip, funny running jokes, a protagonist living a lifestyle that contrast with their “slacker” best friend, and a ridiculous musical number. It’s hard to make all these elements work in a funny and authentic way, but Joy Ride sticks the landing.

The script brilliantly mixes laugh out loud comedy with heartfelt commentary about identity, expectations, and true friendship.

The film’s two standout performances come via Sherry Cola and Sabrina Wu. Cola delivers some of the film’s funniest lines. Wu as Deadeye, the K-pop obsessed cousin, may not deliver a lot of jokes but leads the film in comedy assists. In a perfect world, these two would be in another comedy very soon.

Road trip comedies or vacation comedies are common in the genre. The fish-out-of-water element works very well (the same for horror films). When done right, these films can be outright hilarious. Joy Ride is one of those films. It’s written in a way that allows its actors to deliver some excellent humor without it feeling forced.

Joy Ride delivers in every way. It’s a heartwarming story about friendship wrapped in an R-rated comedy.  It’s funny, entertaining, and never takes itself too seriously – even when the film has its serious moments. If you’re looking for an R-rated comedy, Joy Ride may be the best one this summer.

Grade: B+