Joy Ride (2001)

Three young people on a road trip from Colorado to New Jersey talk to a trucker on their CB radio, then must escape when he turns out to be a psychotic killer.

Director:

John Dahl

Writers:

Clay Tarver, J.J. Abrams

Stars:

Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Zahn	...	Fuller
Paul Walker	...	Lewis
Leelee Sobieski	...	Venna
Jessica Bowman	...	Charlotte
Stuart Stone	...	Danny (Lewis's Roommate)
Basil Wallace	...	Car Salesman
Brian Leckner	...	Officer Keeney
Mary Wickliffe	...	Salt Lake City Police Desk Clerk
McKenzie Satterthwaite	...	Asst. Salt Lake City Police Desk Clerk
Dell Yount	...	Gas Station Mechanic
Kenneth White	...	Ronald Ellinghouse
Luis Cortés	...	Night Manager (as Luis Cortes)
Michael McCleery	...	Officer Akins
Jim Beaver	...	Sheriff Ritter
Rachel Singer	...	Gas Station Manager

Storyline

College student Lewis decides to drive across the country to see Venna, a friend who doesn't know that Lewis is interested in her romantically. Unfortunately for his plans, Lewis gets saddled with his raucous-spirited older brother, Fuller, whose on-the-road pranks get the brothers and Venna sucked into a nightmare when a psychotic truckdriver takes offense.

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Plot Keywords:

cb radio | first part | truck driver | college | truck | 

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Taglines:

It was just a joke, just for fun.

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence/terror and language

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [UK] Fox / Regency Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Candy Cane

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$23,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,347,259, 7 October 2001, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$21,973,182, 6 January 2002

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$37,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Regency Enterprises, Epsilon Motion Pictures, New Regency Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although Ted Levine provides Rusty Nail's voice, he actually wasn't brought in until post-production, and, physically, Rusty Nail is played by the hulking actor Matthew Kimbrough.

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Goofs

At 32 minutes a crew member walks in front of the camera.

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Quotes

[after installing the CB]
Fuller Thomas: This is like some kinda prehistoric Internet.

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Alternate Versions

DVD includes 29 minute extended ending and four alternate endings.

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Connections

References The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

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Soundtracks

If You're Gonna Leave Me
Written and Performed by John Bohlinger

User Reviews

A nice well made B-movie, a little winner!

After KILL ME AGAIN and RED ROCK WEST director Dahl has again made a nice good-looking, really thrilling little B-movie! He must have watched DUEL (which is still better, maybe the best S. Spielberg movie ever, and rates 10/10) and has added something here and there. The Trauma Spielberg handled in his movie is not to be found in here, but it's still and nevertheless a highly enjoyable, also well photographed movie with believable actors and a nice twisted ending (improbable, yes, but still nice). Whereas in DUEL one just had the man (Dennis Weaver is his best movie) and a truck (without the driver ever to be seen), Dahl added more characters and a more visible (actually audible) driver + police, etc, but the basic plot, people running away from mad truck/driver, is left intact. I just wish more such movies would still be made today ...