A raunchy ‘Joy Ride’ with a heartfelt core

With so many sex-obsessed comedies made from the perspective of men, it’s notable that the two R-rated comedies of the summer are female-driven: First, the Jennifer Lawrence-led “No Hard Feelings,” and now “Joy Ride,” a raunchy road comedy from “Crazy Rich Asians” writer Adele Lim, in her directorial debut.

Full of filthy language and low-brow humor, the comedy in “Joy Ride” will appeal to fans of movies like “Bridesmaids” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (to be expected, considering Seth Rogen is a producer on the film). The story in “Joy Ride,” however, goes to unique and poignant places, in large part because of the underrepresented creative forces behind the camera.

Audrey (Ashley Park, “Emily in Paris”) is a successful lawyer in Suburbia, USA. Adopted by white parent from China as a kid, Audrey leaned on a lifelong friendship with Lolo (Sherry Cola), to the point where Lolo, now a starving-artist type, lives in Audrey’s backyard guest room.

Tasked with closing a big deal in China, Audrey recruits Lolo to come along on the trip, serving as an interpreter. Lolo’s K-Pop obsessed cousin, nicknamed Deadeye (Sabrina Wu) tags along, and, once they reach China, they meet up with Audrey’s college friend Kat (Stephanie Tsu, recently Oscar-nominated for “Everything Everywhere All At Once”), who is now a soap opera actress engaged to her chaste (and super hunky) co-star.

Besides a single photo of her mother and the address for the adoption agency, Audrey knows almost nothing about her Chinese family. When the business deal goes sideways (thanks to drinking and vomiting, of course), Lolo pushes Audrey to hunt down information on her mother. And so the four ladies hit the road, but shenanigans and complications ensue.

Traveling by train becomes a problem once Audrey accidentally befriends a fellow American (who happens to be a drug dealer). It gets more ridiculous from there, including an extended ruse impersonating a buzzy new K-Pop group.

The comedy can be hit-and-miss here, like other movies of its type. Then “Joy Ride” leads Audrey into a series of surprising revelations about her past. Feeling like an outcast everywhere she goes, Audrey begins to unravel the circumstances of her adoption.

Audrey’s arc is a welcome and necessary perspective on adoption and what it can feel like to be both satisfied with your upbringing but also have questions about what might have been lost. “Joy Ride” handles that dramatic turn nimbly, even managing to weave the narratives of the other three girls into Audrey’s journey while still filling in their own arcs. It’s a sincere and emotional climax in the type of movie you usually wouldn’t expect.

Written by Teresa Hsiao and Cherry Chevapravatdumrong, “Joy Ride” could be a tad more consistent on the comedy side but nevertheless contains a few big, character-driven laughs. With a 90-minute runtime, a charismatic cast and a genuinely tear-inducing payoff, the movie is welcome addition to a summer slate full of franchise fare.

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Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.