Joy Ride (known as Road Kill in the UK and Roadkill in Australia)[2] is a 2001 American thriller film directed by John Dahl and written by Clay Tarver and J. J. Abrams.
It received positive reviews from critics, who praised Dahl's direction, the screenplay, and performances of the cast (particularly Zahn), and was nominated for Best Action, Adventure, or Thriller Film at the 28th Saturn Awards.
[3] While traveling from California to Colorado to pick up his childhood friend and crush Venna, Lewis Thomas reluctantly stops in Salt Lake City after he learns his estranged brother Fuller has been arrested.
Fuller coaxes Lewis into playing a prank on a truck driver nicknamed Rusty Nail, asking him to pretend to be a woman named Candy Cane.
The next morning, Lewis and Fuller learn that the police found the businessman on the highway, leaving him in a coma with his lower jaw ripped off.
The real Rusty Nail then drives through the ice truck and, as he slowly crushes Lewis's car against a tree, Fuller hysterically apologizes.
They stop at a motel and, as Lewis falls asleep, Rusty Nail calls his room, revealing he has noticed Venna has joined them.
They flee from the motel, but see messages from Rusty Nail spray painted on road signs, instructing them to look in the trunk; they find the CB radio Fuller had previously thrown from the window of the car.
In July 1999, it was announced that Leelee Sobieski was set to star in Squelch, the film's working title, with John Dahl directing from a screenplay by Clay Tarver and J. J. Abrams.
[10] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called the film "terrific escapist fare, stylish, outrageous and compelling."
Thomas stated, "Joy Ride is a high-wire act, full of risks and shameless in resorting to old ploys only to put a fresh spin on them.
"[12] Roger Ebert of The Chicago-Sun Times awarded Joy Ride three and a half stars out of a possible four, and described the film as "a first-rate pure thriller" which was "anchored by convincing characters in a halfway plausible setup."
"[14] Desson Howe of The Washington Post remarked, "The story, although it's scripted with impressive gravitas by Clay Tarver and J.J. Abrams, seems more like a conduit for suspense.
"[15] Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly stated, "Joy Ride zigzags across the conventions of genre, occasionally driving on the shoulders of black humor — it's a road movie for the way we process suspense today, and very recognizably the zany-brainy work of John Dahl, the urbane neo-noirist.
"[16] Joe Leydon of Variety called the film a "hot-wired, white-knuckle thriller" and wrote that it "maneuvers more smoothly, and avoids plot holes more consistently, as it steadily gains momentum while speeding through familiar territory.
"[17] Paul Lê of Bloody Disgusting opined, "The film yields every now and then so viewers can catch their breath, but once this taut and frantic thriller picks up speed again, Joy Ride earns its place as one of the best movies of its kind.