Heartfelt Irish Road Trip Film Joyride, Starring Olivia Colman, Gets New US Trailer as Audiences Rediscover Its Charm
A new US trailer has been released for Joyride, the heartwarming Irish road trip film starring Olivia Colman that charmed audiences across Ireland and the UK upon its initial release. Magnolia Pictures unveiled the updated look at the indie feature, inviting American viewers into a story that blends chaos, compassion, and unexpected connection against the rugged beauty of the Irish countryside.
Directed by award-winning Irish filmmaker Emer Reynolds, Joyride follows two unlikely companions who find themselves bound together by circumstance and transformed by the journey they share. The studio’s latest trailer spotlights the film’s emotional core, introduced with the line, “When we feel lost, finding our way home takes a little help.”
The story begins with 12-year-old Mully, played by newcomer Charlie Reid, who has reached a breaking point with his father. Desperate for distance and determined to protect the cash he has taken from him, Mully impulsively steals a taxi. What he doesn’t expect is Joy, a frazzled middle-aged woman sitting in the back seat with her infant. Portrayed by Academy Award winner Olivia Colman, Joy is herself fleeing complicated circumstances and racing toward an important meeting that may alter the direction of her life.
Their fates collide in a moment neither is prepared for, but the ensuing adventure becomes the heart of the film. As Mully and Joy wind their way across Ireland, the pair confront both their shared chaos and their private heartbreaks. The road becomes not just an escape, but a crucible in which two wounded strangers forge an unconventional friendship and discover new hope.
Colman, known for her acclaimed performances in The Favourite, The Crown, and Fleabag, brings both emotional grit and comedic nuance to the role of Joy. Reid, in one of his earliest screen performances, offers a natural and unaffected charm that balances Colman’s intensity. The supporting cast includes Olwen Fouéré, Lochlann Ó Mearáin, and Ruth McCabe, enriching the film’s grounded, local feel.
Magnolia’s trailer emphasizes the film’s blend of humor and heartbreak, presenting Joyride as a “train-wreck on an adventure” that captures the messy beauty of two damaged people learning to trust again. Set among the sweeping landscapes of County Kerry, the cinematography underscores the story’s themes of freedom, escape, and renewal. Each stretch of winding road and each quiet rural stop becomes a reflection of the characters’ turbulent inner lives and the fragile hope that slowly emerges.
Joyride first premiered in the UK and Ireland during the summer of 2022, where it drew attention for its raw sincerity and unexpected tenderness. Audiences were drawn to its offbeat mix of comedy and drama, and critics praised the film for its emotional authenticity and its refusal to take a conventional storytelling route. The release of the new US trailer signals Magnolia Pictures’ confidence that American viewers will be equally affected by the film’s intimate, human approach.
The screenplay, written by Ailbhe Keogan, presents its characters with nuance and emotional depth. Joy is neither traditionally maternal nor outwardly soft; her reluctance, frustration, and exhaustion feel grounded and real. Mully, meanwhile, is both resourceful and vulnerable, a child forced into maturity too soon. Their dynamic shifts gradually, shaped by small moments of trust and quiet revelations rather than dramatic outbursts. This restraint allows the film’s emotional beats to resonate more deeply.
Director Emer Reynolds, best known for her documentary work including The Farthest and Songs for While I’m Away, steps into narrative filmmaking with confidence. Her documentary sensibilities are evident in the film’s grounded tone and emotional intimacy, lending authenticity to moments that could easily have slipped into melodrama. She approaches Joy and Mully not as symbolic opposites, but as deeply human characters who carry their scars in different ways.
Before its US rollout, Joyride also screened at the 2022 Newport Beach Film Festival, where audiences responded warmly to its blend of humor, vulnerability, and unexpected warmth. Magnolia’s promotion appears to position the film as a gentle alternative within the often-noisy streaming landscape: a story that invites viewers not with spectacle, but with heart.
The film’s newly revealed US poster accompanies the trailer, further underscoring its themes of emotional repair, unlikely companionship, and the strange ways in which strangers can help us find ourselves again. With its release on the horizon, Joyride is poised to reach a wider audience eager for stories that balance realism with hope.
For now, the new trailer offers a fresh look at a film that quietly impressed critics and audiences overseas. With Olivia Colman leading a tender and unpredictable journey, Joyride aims to remind viewers that sometimes the most life-changing adventures begin with a single wrong turn.
