Sadly, you can't watch Joy Ride on Netflix (but here's where the movie streams)

If you’re looking for something funny to watch, you should definitely check out the comedy film Joy Ride. It’s available to stream, and we've only heard good things about this movie. But where exactly can you watch it? Well, don't go looking on Netflix for it because the streamer doesn't carry it. Instead, it's available to watch on another streaming service. That streamer being Starz.

Honestly, it makes sense why this movie would be on Starz since it's a Lionsgate film, and Lionsgate owns Starz. But in order to watch this movie on the streaming platform, you'll need to have a Starz subscription. Unfortunately, Starz doesn't offer a free trial like some other streaming services. It has two subscription plans: a monthly plan ($9.99/month) and a semi-annual plan ($19.99/6 months). It doesn't matter which plan you choose because either one will grant you access to Joy Ride.

You can also stream this movie via streaming add-ons from various other services like Hulu (add Starz add-on for $9.99/month) or Amazon Prime Video (add Starz add-on for $9.99/month). Another option is to rent or purchase the film through Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, or the Microsoft Store.

Joy Ride is expected to eventually move over to Peacock at an unspecified date. This is because of the multiyear movie output deal Lionsgate has with the NBCUniversal streaming service. Maybe sometime in the future, the comedy flick will make its way to Netflix. But that's not the case at the moment.

What is Joy Ride about?

Adele Lim, best known for co-writing the screenplays for the movies Crazy Rich Asians and Raya and the Last Dragon, made her feature directorial debut with this film. Additionally, the screenplay was written by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao from a story they developed with Lim.

It was first announced back in 2018, and in July 2021, Lim signed on as director and Emily in Paris star Ashley Park joined the cast. Later in 2021, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, Sabrina Wu, and many others signed on to be in the movie. Production started in October of that year and wrapped a month later.

It follows four Chinese-American friends as they embark on a journey across China in search of one of their birth mothers. While on their journey, they bond and learn what it means to know and love who you are.

Here's what some critics had to say about the comedy movie via Rotten Tomatoes:

"Both hilarious and heartfelt, Joy Ride packs a nuanced exploration of Asian identity into a Trojan Horse comedy, filled with enough narcotics to get the blood pumping."

- Iana Murray from Empire Magazine

"It’s a film that fully delivers both cultural specificity (an older relative is referred to as being “has-a-plastic-bag-full-of-other-plastic-bags Chinese”) and raunchy R-rated comedy, as its cast asserts confident, witty, sexual agency throughout."

- Alonso Duralde from The Film Verdict

If you're unable to watch Joy Ride, we suggest checking out some similar content on Netflix. The streamer has many comedy movies centering around a group of friends on its platform, such as Wine Country, Someone Great and Players.

Take a look at the Joy Ride official trailer for a sneak peek!

Will you be watching the hilariously funny comedy flick?