It's been a relatively quiet summer at the cineplexes as productions are only now beginning to catch up on the delays caused by coronavirus over the past two and a half years. That is particularly true for films aimed at adults, or more niche markets less interested in superheroes, dinosaurs and jet planes; as studios have mostly elected to send such content straight to streamers or forgo producing them entirely, when a film like Joyride arrives in cinemas, it's worth paying attention to it.
Directed by Emer Reynolds and starring Olivia Colman alongside newcomer Charlie Reid, Joyride tells the story of the unlikely friendship forged when a struggling mother and on-the-run teen hit the road together. Travelling through Ireland but heading in different directions, they realise they can each be of help to the other.
Written by Ailbhe Keogan, Joyride tells a straightforward story really rather well. Centring the unlikely duo at its heart, it explores generational trauma and family in a smart yet digestible way, pushing these themes as far as possible while still offering the feel-good energy the promotional material sells. Suppose the script stretches itself a little implausibly at times to get our characters into each other's company, and occasionally plays a little too predictably in its act-to-act developments. In that case, Reynolds' direction keeps it on track. At a tight 95 minutes, it's sprightly-paced and never overstays its welcome, hitting emotional beats consistently and conscientiously.
Olivia Colman is, expectedly, a total delight. Our perceived prickliness of Joy, borne as a result of her past trauma, is intelligently and thoughtfully depicted; as more layers are revealed, our empathy towards her develops, supported by the natural warmth radiated by Colman as an actress. Standing beside Colman would be a daunting task for the most experienced of actors but young Charlie Reid, in his film debut no less, does a remarkable job of rising to her level. The pair cultivate genuine, believable chemistry crucial to the film's story and themes, with the film's strongest moments often simply being the sparring matches between them peppered throughout the runtime.
Joyride doesn't break new ground or reinvent any wheel but instead tells a simple story and does so very well. In a cinematic landscape dominated by special effect-driven blockbusters intent on kickstarting new franchises, it is rather refreshing to see these more intimate dramas claim their space on the big screen and it's imperative that we get behind and support them as and where we can - especially when they are as likeable as Joyride. Thanks to the winning combination of Colman and Reid, and a sense of sentimentality that pervades throughout but rarely overwhelms, Joyride is indeed that - a joy.