Joy Ride (2001 film)

Joy Ride is a 2001 American road thriller film directed by John Dahl and starring Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, and Leelee Sobieski. The screenplay by Clay Tarver and J. J. Abrams follows two brothers and their childhood acquaintance who are terrorized by a psychopathic killer after pranking him on their CB radio during a road trip. Production on the film began in July 1999. Casting was extensive, with multiple actors considered prior to Walker and Zahn signing on. Principal photography took place in Nevada, California, and Utah. It was produced by Regency Enterprises, Bad Robot and LivePlanet. Joy Ride, premiered at the 26th Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2001, and was released in the United States on October 5, by 20th Century Fox. Although it only performed moderately at the box office, grossing $36.6 million on a $23 million budget, it received generally positive reviews from critics and was nominated for Best Action, Adventure, or Thriller Film at the 28th Saturn Awards. In the United Kingdom, the film was released under the title Road Kill, and as Roadkill in Australia. Joy Ride spawned two direct-to-video sequels, Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead (2008) and Joy Ride 3: Roadkill (2014).

Plot 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. Lewis bails him out and Fuller tags along for the ride. Fuller has a CB radio installed in Lewis's car and the two begin listening in on truckers' chatter. 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. They set up a meeting with Rusty Nail in a motel where Lewis and Fuller are spending the night; they tell Rusty Nail that Candy Cane will be in room 17, the room of a disrespectful businessman with whom Fuller had an encounter at the front desk. When Rusty Nail arrives, the brothers listen from the adjoining room; an argument and sounds of a scuffle are briefly heard. 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. Lewis admits they were involved and Sheriff Ritter accosts them for their role in the incident, but lets them go. Back on the road near Laramie, Wyoming, Rusty Nail is heard again on the radio looking for Candy Cane. Lewis reveals the prank to Rusty Nail and Rusty Nail demands an apology, but Fuller insults him instead. Rusty Nail then notes they should get their taillight fixed, indicating he is following them. They drive to a nearby gas station and unsuccessfully attempt to contact Sheriff Ritter. Seeing an ice truck pull into the gas station, they flee from the scene into a dead end, with the truck driver chasing them. The driver turns out to be a kind stranger trying to return Lewis's credit card, which he left behind in panic. The real Rusty Nail then drives through the ice truck and, as he slowly crushes Lewis's car against a tree, Fuller hysterically apologizes. Rusty Nail drives away, declaring his actions to be simply a retaliatory joke. Believing themselves safe, the brothers arrive in Colorado and pick up Venna. 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. Rusty Nail then contacts them again via the radio, announcing that he has kidnapped Venna's friend Charlotte, and he directs them to a cornfield where the three get split up. Rusty Nail kidnaps Venna. Rusty Nail sets up a meeting at another motel in room 17, mirroring the false date with which he was pranked. Using a shotgun, he sets up a trap that will kill the bound-and-gagged Venna if the room door is opened. Fuller attempts to get in the room by a back window, but is injured by Rusty Nail and gets stuck outside. Lewis attempts to free Fuller as the police arrive to help Venna. Meanwhile, Rusty Nail's truck appears uphill and begins rolling down towards the motel. The brothers free Venna in time and everyone escapes as the truck crashes into the motel. As the police investigate Rusty Nail's truck, they see a dead body in the driver's seat and Charlotte, still alive, in the back. While Lewis, Fuller, Charlotte, and Venna are treated for their injuries on scene, they learn that the dead man inside the truck was the ice truck driver who returned Lewis's credit card. From the CB in the ambulance, the group hears Rusty Nail's voice, learning that he is alive and free.

Cast

Production

Development 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. The other parts had not yet been cast, although Tobey Maguire and Steve Zahn were understood to have been offered roles. In the next month, Paul Walker joined the cast alongside Sobieski and Zahn. The film's budget was initially reported to be $20 million. Joy Ride was produced by Abrams and Chris Moore, while Arnon Milchan, Patrick Markey, and Bridget Johnson served as executive producers.

Filming The film was shot in Nevada, California, and Utah.

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