Joyride

An enjoyable romp through the ever picturesque Irish countryside. Olivia Colman is as engagingly watch-worthy as ever playing Joy, the mother of a one-week-old baby. Having never wanted children of her own, Joy intends to give the baby away to her sister in an informal adoption arrangement. We meet Joy asleep in a taxi en route to deliver the baby to her sister.

Charlie Reid is the breakout talent as Mully, a young teen bereaved by the recent death of his mother, and whose father is a petty thief and general low-level scumbag. Reid is an absolute scene stealer throughout this film - and a taxi stealer when we first encounter him. He commandeers the vehicle not realising it has two sleeping passengers in the back seat in the form of Joy and her baby.

Some hilarity ensues. And a bit of weirdness. With a little darkness and a touch of tragedy thrown in. All against a beautifully shot County Kerry backdrop.

Although this film was released on Netflix in summer 2024, watching it evoked a bit of a Netflix-Christmas-movie vibe for me. It was a little cheesy, totally unbelievable and surprisingly emotional in places but, overall, a very pleasant hour-and-half's escape from real life.

Colman does a 'grand job so' delivering her performance in a very decent Irish accent. And seeing comedian Tommy Tiernan pop up in an unexpected cameo to randomly play the Home and Away theme tune on a penny whistle was an absolute bonus.

I'm surprised by the harshness of some of the other reviews. Although there are some fairly big-hitting themes touched on throughout the story, the film doesn't get into them in any depth. Likewise, there are potential sub-plots and character back stories that are hinted at, but not really explored in detail. Perhaps that has left some viewers feeling frustrated or a bit short-changed.

Overall, a very easy and enjoyable watch if you're looking for a bit of light, diversionary entertainment.

I enjoyed the varied pace and well played characters. The young man was a convincing actor and his character, Mully, had a good heart. The conflicted Joy was performed truthfully by Olivia Coleman, although the accent slipped once or twice. She was only about 47 when she played Joy, an age when many women are still capable of conceiving a baby! The father was a little two dimensional, fixated on the acquisition of money, not being a loving parent, and seemingly not grieving his deceased wife. The story was filled with many of the contradictions and tribulations common in life. It was genuine to those dichotomies and still had a hopeful ending.

Joyride

Overall this was a mixed bag of a movie. On the one hand it attempted to be profound with comments on parenting, childhood baggage, what it means to be a mother and sometimes blood is not thick than water, and then attempted humour in a farcical vane.

The script struggled and showed little emotional intelligence, connecting with another human being does not a parent make. You could see the actors struggling with the often stilted script, which fell apart in the denouement.

To believe the contrived happy ending was absurd and I certainly wasn't convinced. The acting was at best pedestrian and at it worst performative.

This is barely watchable so I'm giving it a 4 outta 10, with Olivia not all that glitters comes in the shape of an Oscar statuette.

A heartwarming and bittersweet tale of two unlikely travelers who find solace in each other while on the run from their pasts. 13-year-old Mully (Charlie Reid) and uptight solicitor Joy (Olivia Colman) set out on a journey across the Irish countryside, learning to cope with unplanned disruptions and unexpected challenges.

Reynolds' direction is strong, capturing the beauty of the Irish landscape through the lens of cinematographer James Mather. The film is visually stunning, with breathtaking shots of the seaside and foggy hills. However, some of the more surreal moments in the film feel out of place and throw off the tone of the story.

But where "Joyride" truly shines is in the performances of Reid and Colman. Mully and Joy are both grieving the loss of their mothers and struggling to find their place in the world. They form a bond that helps them cope with their pain and move forward, learning to rely on each other when other parental figures have failed them.

Overall, "Joyride" is a charming and emotional film that manages to balance its heavy themes with moments of levity and joy. While it may not be as smooth as some of the best feel-good movies, its unwieldy charm and powerful performances make for a memorable journey.

The plot is definitely messy at time's and it's probably a wee bit smultzy in places.

However it's a charming film with great acting.

Probably more a TV film than one for the cinema.

Definitely worth a watch though.