“Joy Ride” is a 2001 thriller film directed by John Dahl and written by J.J. Abrams. The movie stars Paul Walker, Steve Zahn, and Leelee Sobieski. The story revolves around two brothers, Lewis (Paul Walker) and Fuller (Steve Zahn), who embark on a road trip across the country to pick up Lewis’s high school crush, Venna (Leelee Sobieski). Along the way, they decide to play a prank on a trucker by calling him on their CB radio and pretending to be a woman named “Candy Cane.” However, things take a dark turn when the trucker, who goes by the handle “Rusty Nail,” begins to track them down and seek revenge for their prank.
As the brothers and Venna continue their journey, Rusty Nail becomes increasingly violent and dangerous, leading to a tense game of cat-and-mouse between the trucker and his victims. The trio must use their wits and resourcefulness to outsmart Rusty Nail and survive the deadly game he has forced them to play.
“Joy Ride” received mixed reviews from critics but was a box office success, grossing over $36 million worldwide. It has since gained a cult following and is considered a classic of the road trip thriller genre.
| Directed by | John Dahl |
|---|---|
| Produced by | J. J. Abrams Chris Moore |
| Written by | J. J. Abrams Clay Tarver |
| Starring | Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski |
| Music by | Marco Beltrami |
| Cinematography | Jeffrey Jur |
| Edited by | Eric L. Beason Scott Chestnut Todd E. Miller Glen Scantlebury |
| Production companies |
Regency Enterprises Bad Robot |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date | October 5, 2001 (United States) |
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $23 million |
| Box office | $36.6 million |
