Joyride

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.

It's not the best movie I ever watched but I found it enjoyable and worthwhile ... And believable. Ms. Coleman is 49 and in the movie made reference to her age and she was surprised it happened. 60? That's pretty reaching dear other commenter.

Motherhood is scary and confusing and you want to run sometimes... Also with her childhood trauma. The young boy had some experience, so he helped her. Not ordinary, but I can see it. Ms. Coleman is a long time and seasoned, awarded actress. I think it's marvelous to see such as her in smaller, more everyday normal kind of movies. Hurray, it was enjoyable. "Believable" would be different for every one of us. Maybe less judgmental is a great idea. Good, good job.

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.