Crazy Rich Asians and Raya and the Last Dragon co-writer Adele Lim is making her directorial with Joy Ride. Starring Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Sabrina Wu, and Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu, it tells the story of four friends who go on a debauched trip. And while these friends might seem a little mismatched personality-wise, the official trailer goes to show you that together, they work.
Audrey (Park) wants to know more about who she is and where she comes from. That leads her on a road of self-discovery all the way back to the country she was born in. But she can’t do it alone and enlists help from her bestie Lolo (Colo), the eccentric cousin Deadeye (Wu), and Chinse soap star (Hsu). What follows is something that is giving The Hangover but for 2023 and with an unapologetically stacked cast of Asian talent.
It’s important to note, that even though we’ve seen movies like this before, raunchy comedies have primarily had white casts. *looks over at The Hangover, Bridesmaids, Bad Moms, etc* Joy Ride shifts the perspective and tells a story through an Asian lens, with the cast being Korean, Chinese, Singaporean, Taiwanese, and even Indian. Even then, it’s still relatable and looks like an exploration of who we are, female friendships, and the lessons we learn along the way.
Without a doubt, some people are going to scoff at a movie like this and ask why we need more Asian representation when we have works like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Fire Island, and the upcoming show BEEF starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. But we’re going to ignore those people, buy our tickets, and enjoy the show. Because representation is about giving everyone a seat at the table. And that includes raunchy comedies where someone wonders if a condom filled with cocaine got lost up their ass.
Watch the official red band trailer for Joy Ride below:
Joy Ride hits theaters July 7, 2023.
