Joyride film review: Olivia Colman shines (of course) on a predictable but pleasant road trip
Colman's mastery elevates this coming-of-age dramedy from director Emer Reynolds and writer Ailbhe Keogan

Through a combination of prolific work and genuinely awe-inspiring emotional dexterity, Olivia Colman has spent the past two decades steadily building herself into one of Those Actors, the ones you will watch no matter what they’re doing or where they might turn up. Her talent is such that her major projects frequently place her in contention for awards this time of year, but she’s also such a presence that any Colman performance is capable of giving something remarkable, no matter the size of the film or the size of the role. So while the Awards Season narrative this year has already framed Colman’s work in Sam Mendes’ Empire Of Light (in which she is predictably compelling) as the clear contender, it’s important to remember that there’s more than one film out at the end of 2022 featuring great work from one of our finest stars.
Joyride (select theaters December 23), the new coming-of-age dramedy/road movie from director Emer Reynolds and writer Ailbhe Keogan, may not have the benefit of a marquee director or a major studio rollout at its back, but the film’s tale of two frustrated people trying to find their place in a changing world still resonates because of the performances at its core. It might not break any plot molds, and it doesn’t quite come together as neatly as you’d hope by the end, but thanks to Colman’s shining presence, it’s a pleasant journey all the same.
The film’s story begins not with Colman, but with Charlie Reid’s Mully, a teenage boy trying to put on a brave face after the loss of his mother, despite his father’s (Lochlann Ó Mearáin) rather icy view of the whole affair. When his dad tries to pocket the money the regulars at the local pub are raising for charity in his mother’s name, Mully finally snaps, snatches the cash, and steals a taxi to escape his father. It’s only after he’s sped out of town that he realizes the cab already has two occupants: Joy (Colman) and her new infant daughter, who are on their way to catch a flight which Joy is determined to make no matter who’s driving the car. As Mully tries to decide what to do about his father and the money, and Joy tries to figure out what to do about the new life she’s now charged with caring for, the two forge an unlikely and tumultuous bond that forms the film’s narrative and emotional backbone.