Joyride

Joyride

Year: 1977

Runtime: 92 mins

Language: English

Director: Joseph Ruben

AdventureComedyCrimeDramaRomance

What begins as an exhilarating escape quickly turns grim. After quitting their stagnant jobs, Scott, John and Suzie leave L.A. for Alaska to launch a salmon‑fishing venture. The harsh Alaskan reality forces them to abandon their plans, confronting desperate choices simply to stay alive.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Joyride (1977)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Joyride (1977). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Alaska, Canada

Set against Alaska's rugged frontier, the story unfolds in remote fishing towns and along the oil pipeline that cuts through the landscape. The environment is harsh and unforgiving, where survival hinges on quick wits and a willingness to bend rules. The borderland also takes the characters into Canada, with mountains and checkpoints that escalate their chase.

❄️ Alaska 🗺️ Frontier

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

Main Characters – Joyride (1977)

Meet the key characters of Joyride (1977), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

John (Robert Carradine)

John is the hot-headed, protective anchor of the trio. He reacts with anger when betrayed or disrespected, and his impatience often drives reckless decisions, including stealing and confrontations with coworkers. He clashes with Scott and Susie, and his drive for control leads to escalating conflicts that threaten the group’s fragile bond.

😠 Hot-headed 🛡️ Protector 🔫 Impulsive

Susie (Melanie Griffith)

Susie is ambitious and vulnerable, working as a waitress and drawn into the group’s money schemes. She resists exploitation by coworkers and seeks a better future, even as she becomes entangled in dangerous plans. Her loyalties are tested as the trio spirals toward violence and chaos.

💃 Waitress 🗝️ Vulnerable 💪 Survivor

Scott (Desi Arnaz Jr.)

Scott is impulsive and thrill-seeking, always chasing the next big score. He buys pistols, schemes for money, and often leads the group into trouble, fueling a cycle of reckless decisions that jeopardize everyone’s safety.

🔥 Impulsive 💰 Greedy 🎯 Reckless

Cindy Young (Anne Lockhart)

Cindy is a bar acquaintance who becomes entangled in the trio’s plans. She is drawn into the danger and manipulation, ultimately used as a hostage to facilitate a ransom. Her presence highlights the volatility and predatory dynamics of the group’s escapades.

💃 Waitress 🤝 Manipulated 💬 Charmer

Sanders (Tom Ligon)

Sanders is the former boss who triggers much of the trouble, embodying the exploitative side of the pipeline world. His actions lead to confrontations and set off a chain of retaliations that escalate the trio’s desperation and aggression.

🧑‍💼 Boss ⚔️ Antagonist 🔫 Threatening

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

Major Themes – Joyride (1977)

Explore the central themes of Joyride (1977), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💰 Greed

Desperation for quick money drives the trio from petty theft to armed robbery. Their partners-in-crime schemes escalate as they chase a payday that only seems to slip further away. The payroll heist and ransom plan reveal how greed distorts judgment and damages relationships. As money becomes the ultimate goal, trust frays and violence becomes a reflex.

🗺️ Frontier Survival

Set in a harsh, remote landscape, the film tests how far people will push themselves to survive. The characters improvise on the road—stealing cars, stealing time, and exploiting whatever opportunities arise. The environment shapes decisions, from barroom schemes to dangerous cross-border escapes. The pursuit of a better future clashes with the brutal realities of the frontier.

⚖️ Law vs Chaos

The trio's drift into criminal acts brings them into conflict with law enforcement and the pipeline’s security. Bar fights, robberies, and gunplay threaten to unleash consequences they cannot control. The pursuit across the border tests who will pay the price for their actions. Ultimately, chaos confronts order as authorities close in and choices become irreversible.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Desperate road trip crime movies like Joyride

Friends on the run, where economic desperation leads to escalating criminal choices.This section features movies like 'Joyride' where characters are driven to crime by economic hardship on a doomed road trip. If you liked the frantic energy and escalating bad decisions in 'Joyride', you'll find similar stories of survival, tense friendships, and bleak journeys here.

desperategrittytenseon the roadcrime spreepessimisticsurvivalistanxious

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically follow a group of friends or partners whose hopeful journey rapidly derails. What begins as an escape or a dream quickly turns into a survival scenario, forcing the characters into a downward spiral of crime, paranoia, and moral compromise. The story is linear and fast-moving, focusing on the immediate consequences of each poor decision.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by their focus on economic desperation as a catalyst for crime, the intense pressure it places on relationships, and a fast-paced, gritty tone. They share a high-intensity viewing experience with heavy emotional weight and a generally pessimistic outlook.

Gritty 70s survival movies with a vibe like Joyride

Raw, character-driven stories from the 1970s where harsh environments test human limits.If you liked the harsh realism and survivalist tone of 'Joyride', explore this collection of gritty 1970s films. These movies share a similar raw aesthetic, focus on economic hardship, and tense character studies set against unforgiving environments, capturing the unique vibe of 70s indie cinema.

grittyraw70s cinemasurvivaloppressivepessimisticcharacter studyharsh realism

Narrative Summary

The narratives are typically straightforward but emotionally layered, following characters as they confront a harsh world—be it urban decay or a brutal natural landscape. The plot is less about intricate twists and more about the visceral experience of struggle, often leaving the characters' futures uncertain. The focus is on authenticity and emotional toll over glamour.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their distinct era-specific aesthetic—naturalistic lighting, authentic dialogue, and a generally pessimistic mood. They share a high intensity stemming from raw subject matter, a tense or bleak tone, and a heavy emotional weight centered on survival and moral ambiguity.

Unlock the Full Story of Joyride

Don't stop at just watching — explore Joyride in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Joyride is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Joyride Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Joyride, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Joyride Summary

Joyride Timeline

Track the full timeline of Joyride with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Joyride Timeline

Joyride Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Joyride that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Joyride Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Joyride

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Joyride: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Joyride

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