In Joy Ride, a documentary/standup special hybrid that follows comedians Bobcat Goldthwait and Dana Gould as they embark on a tour across the American south, you essentially get exactly what is promised: conversation, comedy and a car. No, this isn’t “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” which Goldthwait (who also serves as the film’s director) will gladly tell you. There are plenty of Seinfeld jabs at about the halfway point of Joy Ride, including a sincerely scorching, “Jerry Seinfeld’s only talent is being Larry David’s friend,” and the film does offer a few insights into a feud that has apparently lasted quite some time (seeming to stem from a decades-old comment made by Goldthwait on “The Arsenio Hall Show” where he claimed Seinfeld was a “creep who banged teenage girls”).
This film is hardly a feature-length assault on this one particular target, as Joy Ride offers plenty of delightful anecdotes, sizzling takes and humorous observations to fill its brief 70-minute runtime. From a hilarious Goldthwait story about accidentally sexting New England’s car guru Ernie Boch Jr. on Christmas to Gould’s biting commentary on American gun nuts and somber recollections of former mental health struggles, the film certainly covers a breadth of topics worth absorbing.
Goldthwait—a comedian/actor turned filmmaker—and Gould—known for his acting, comedy and writing, particularly on “The Simpsons”—have an intoxicating chemistry, on stage and during their drives alike. The film keeps it fairly simple, cutting between the pair’s various gigs and their time on the road, creating an interesting juxtaposition between their stage personas and when they’re by themselves—a comparison where lines range from being clearly defined to oddly blurred. Both are dynamic personalities in both regards, but the documentary becomes most engaging when the ego fades away a bit and their conversations become more reflective.
Goldthwait does a good job of balancing these elements, as does editor Michael LaHaie, crafting a brisk but not-at-all surface level examination of two men in their midlives. It blends their unique humor with experiential wisdom through methods where ego is present yet never gets in the way, ultimately forming empathetic vessels of storytelling that tie our experiences to that of Goldthwait and Gould.
Comparisons could be drawn to The Trip series and film franchise, where comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon engage in witty sparring sessions over food and backdrops of gorgeous locations (Spain, Italy, Greece, etc.), but Joy Ride has an undeniable American spirit that clearly distinguishes it from this thematically similar UK counterpart. Embodying that “American” vibe, as the movie points out, comes with both beauty and ugliness. On one hand, you get the joyous community elements of the standup shows and on the other, you get Goldthwait commenting on how they just drove by a massive confederate flag. This mix is even-handed and the relationship between Goldthwait and Gould is wildly different in contrast to Coogan and Brydon, so aside from comedians exchanging words and insights, the comparisons stop there… just like with “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”
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