Netflix viewers are falling for this warm-hearted Irish comedy starring Olivia Colman
A little-known Irish comedy starring Oscar winner Olivia Colman has found a new audience on Netflix, two years after its cinema release.
Joyride, the 2022 coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by Dublin-based filmmaker Emer Reynolds, has climbed to the top of Netflix’s film charts in the UK and Ireland. The film originally attracted relatively little attention at the box office, but viewers discovering it on the streaming service have responded warmly to its unusual story, Irish scenery and emotional mix of comedy and drama.
The film stars Colman as Joy, a middle-aged solicitor dealing with an unexpected new motherhood, alongside Charlie Reid as Mully, a 12-year-old boy struggling with the death of his mother.
Set largely in County Kerry and filmed across the southwest of Ireland, the story brings the pair together under extraordinary circumstances before sending them on an unpredictable road trip.
An unlikely friendship at the heart of the story
Mully’s life has already been turned upside down by the loss of his mother. Things become even more difficult when he discovers that his debt-ridden father is stealing money raised in his mother’s name through a charity fundraiser.
Desperate to get away, Mully takes the money and steals a taxi.
He soon discovers that he is not alone.
In the back of the vehicle is Joy, unconscious with a newborn baby. Joy has recently given birth and has decided to give the child to a friend before leaving the country.
Neither of them planned to spend the day together, but circumstances force the two strangers into an unlikely partnership.
As they travel across Ireland, Mully and Joy gradually begin to understand one another. The initially prickly relationship develops into a genuine friendship, with both characters confronting difficult experiences and finding something they were missing in their lives.
The film’s official synopsis describes the pair as a troubled adolescent and a complicated solicitor who set out together and ultimately discover a happier way forward.
Olivia Colman leads the Irish road movie
For Reynolds, Joyride marked her first feature film after establishing herself as an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker.
The movie premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh in July 2022 before its Irish and UK cinema release on July 29.
Colman plays the central role of Joy, while Charlie Reid takes on the part of Mully. The cast also includes Lochlann Ó Mearáin and comedian Tommy Tiernan.
The film’s Irish setting is an important part of its appeal. Much of the story unfolds against the landscapes of County Kerry, with locations including the Kells Viaduct and the Bealach Oisin pass adding to the sense of an authentic journey through the country.
At its heart, though, the film is less about the destination than the relationship that develops between its two central characters.
From quiet cinema release to Netflix success
When Joyride arrived in cinemas in July 2022, it struggled to make a significant impact commercially. Its worldwide theatrical gross was under $100,000, according to figures reported at the time.
Netflix has given the film a very different trajectory.
After arriving on the streaming platform, Joyride quickly moved to the top of the film rankings in both the UK and Ireland. The renewed attention has introduced the movie to viewers who missed it during its original theatrical run.
Its reception from Netflix viewers has been particularly enthusiastic.
One viewer described the film as an “absolute joy”, praising Charlie Reid’s performance alongside Colman and highlighting its tender, funny and warm tone.
Another admitted they had expected a lightweight comedy before finding themselves in tears by the end.
Other reactions have focused on the unusual balance of humour and emotion. Viewers have praised the chemistry between Colman and Reid, as well as the film’s Irish locations and its ability to move between funny and poignant moments without losing its warmth.
One viewer gave the film an 8/10, describing it as a combination of comedy, pathos, striking scenery and escapism.
A second life for an overlooked Irish film
That response is fitting for a film that has always depended on the relationship between Joy and Mully.
Joy is trying to make sense of an unexpected birth and the choices that come with it. Mully is a young boy grieving his mother while dealing with a difficult family situation. Thrown together by a stolen taxi, the pair initially have little reason to trust each other.
Their journey gradually changes that.
Joyride was already being described as a warm-hearted road movie when it premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh, with Colman and Reid’s performances singled out as a key part of its appeal.
Now, after spending years largely outside the spotlight, the Irish film is reaching a much larger audience through Netflix.
For viewers looking for something that combines Irish scenery, comedy, grief and an unexpected friendship, Joyride has emerged as one of Netflix’s most talked-about films in the UK and Ireland.