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Joy Ride

Starring: Steve Zahn, Paul Walker
Director: John Dahl
Genre: Thriller
Year: 2001
Rating: 1 / 5

Steve Zahn is a funny man, or so I was told in a great many reviews of Joy Ride. The fact is, I am in total agreement with these critics, but that has little to no bearing on the quality of Joy Ride, a thriller in which Zahn has the misfortune of acting. Director John Dahl (Rounders) tries to craft an edge-of-your-seat terror-filled movie, but the result is an implausible, uninteresting babble. Three twentysomething individuals attempt to drive across the country while being pursued by a sadistic trucker. It might not sound so bad, but factor in worthless acting, a cardboard villain, and gaping plot holes, and we have a recipe for disaster.

Lewis Thomas (Paul Walker) has had a crush on childhood pal Venna (Leelee Sobieski) for years, and, with his freshman year in college winding down, he finally has a chance to do something about it. He impulsively sells his plane ticket home, opting for a car in which to drive from California to New Jersey. He might just happen to swing by Colorado to pick up Venna, giving them days of quality time on the road. Along the way, though, he learns that his estranged older brother Fuller (Steve Zahn) has been arrested again in Utah. Lewis decides to help his brother out, and soon Fuller has brought trouble to his younger sibling.

On the way to Colorado, Fuller picks up an old CB radio as a gift for Lewis. After some playful chatter over the airwaves, Fuller decides to have a little fun with a grizzled voice coming through the CB. What if Lewis pretended to be a hot-to-trot young girl eager to rein this desperate gent in? Setting off with humorous intentions, the boys arrange for the mysterious stranger to "meet" the girl of his dreams at a nearby motel. The Thomas brothers check into the room next door to witness the spectacle, but even they are not prepared for what greets them the next morning - a dead body. Soon they are running for their lives from a sick man whose only thought is of revenge.

Joy Ride is not doomed from the very outset, but it certainly is not doing itself any favors. Character development is practically nonexistent, save a few touches regarding Fuller's troubled past. Next to nothing is done with the hinted-at romance between Lewis and Venna; it is almost as if the screenwriters forgot all about it midway through the film. Speaking of which, where is Leelee Sobieski for half of the film? I will not fault these young actors for this film, but I caution them to choose more wisely in the future. A couple more offerings like Joy Ride and Paul Walker could be heading down a road that leads to one person - Jeff Fahey.

Cast:

Certification: Rated R for violence and language.
Running Time: 96 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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