The allure of the American road trip is a potent cinematic myth, a promise of reinvention painted across vast landscapes. It’s a fantasy of shedding one’s past like a second skin. Josalynn Smith’s debut feature, Ride or Die, taps directly into this vein of storytelling.
We meet Paula, a young, aspiring filmmaker whose path to Los Angeles is meticulously planned. Her careful ambitions are thrown into exhilarating disarray by Sloane, a charismatic ghost from her high school days.
Their reunion at a thrift store crackles with unspoken history and immediate chemistry. In a beat of pure impulse, they load up Paula’s old Wagoneer and head west, fueled by the intoxicating optimism of a new romance. Their journey begins under a sun-drenched sky, but the long shadows of the road ahead hint at dangers that will challenge more than just their vehicle.
Two Worlds Ignite in Close-Up
The film’s engine is the volatile, tender relationship at its center, brought to life by two remarkable performances. As Paula, Briana Middleton is the story’s anchor, her grounded presence making the escalating chaos feel real.
Her expressive face is a canvas for the war within her: the pull of desire against the instinct for self-preservation. In her quiet moments, Middleton conveys a desperate need for structure and an immense fear of the unknown when things begin to fall apart. She is captivated by Sloane, yet terrified by the chaos that surrounds her.
In a star-making debut, Stella Everett makes Sloane a whirlwind of charm and poorly masked damage. She layers the character with hints of a traumatic past, visible in a fraught phone call with her mother that explains the frantic energy. Sloane’s recklessness isn’t just a personality trait; it’s a product of her pain. Director Josalynn Smith and cinematographer Arlene Muller capture this dynamic with intimate, revealing close-ups, allowing the actors’ non-verbal cues to carry immense weight.
The camera often lingers, finding the story in a shared glance or a subtle flinch. This technique makes the bond feel authentic and electric, explaining why Paula would make such questionable choices for a mess like Sloane. It is a classic pairing of opposites—Paula’s stability against Sloane’s spontaneity—and their intense connection creates both the central romance and the central conflict.
Navigating a Perilous Landscape
What begins as a romance soon takes a sharp turn into the territory of a thriller, as the fantasy of the open road collides with its harsh realities. The idyllic journey systematically breaks down, confronted by a series of escalating threats that feel both random and inevitable.
An early ominous sign appears with something unsettling swinging from a tree, a piece of rural dread that sets the tone. The tension builds with a leering tow-truck driver whose menace is palpable, and it climaxes in a robbery that shatters their bubble of intimacy for good. The film keenly observes that Paula and Sloane are not just two women on a trip; they are navigating two very different Americas.
Smith confronts the country’s racial landscape head-on through a series of piercing incidents. In one potent sequence, a motel clerk tells Paula they have no vacancies, only to offer a room to the blonde-haired Sloane moments later.
This blunt depiction of everyday racism is supported by more subtle aggressions, like a waitress assuming Sloane is the one paying for their meal. These external pressures act as a stress test, exposing the deep fractures in their relationship. The journey becomes a crucible where Sloane’s volatility, once exciting, becomes a clear and present danger, forcing Paula to confront that the world’s threats may be less frightening than the person sitting next to her.
A Portrait of Formative Fire
As a directorial debut, Ride or Die is a confident and ambitious work. Smith skillfully weaves together the threads of a coming-of-age story, a tense thriller, and an intimate romance, showing a comfort with understatement and a clear trust in her actors.
Her ambitious approach to blending genres is mostly successful, creating a story that feels both specific and universal. Arlene Muller’s cinematography is essential to this success, creating a visual language that is by turns warm and foreboding. The tight, sun-drenched shots inside the car create a bubble of intimacy, which contrasts sharply with the vast, indifferent desert landscapes that threaten to swallow them whole. This visual tension mirrors the characters’ inner states.
The screenplay, co-written by Smith and Alicia Louzoun-Heisler, packs a great deal into its brisk runtime. While this occasionally strains plausibility, it also enhances the feeling of a whirlwind, out-of-control experience. The film’s power is its honest depiction of a formative, all-consuming relationship—the kind that burns brightly and is destined to burn out. It is a nuanced meditation on how identity is forged in the crucible of intense connection and the difficult, necessary lessons learned on the path toward self-awareness and healing.
“Ride or Die” is a drama, thriller, and romance film that premiered in the United States on June 8, 2025.
Full Credits
Director: Josalynn Smith
Writers: Josalynn Smith, Alicia Louzoun-Heisler
Producers: Josalynn Smith, Matthew Keene Smith, Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, Lois Drabkin, Keely Weiss, Jason McLagan, Alicia Louzoun-Heisler, Emily Magee
Executive Producers: Aaron L. Gilbert, Santiago Garcia Galvan
Cast: Briana Middleton, Stella Everett, Seth Gilliam, Cody Kostro, Eisa Davis, Guinevere Turner, Ella Jay Basco, Amin El Gamal, Lindsay Weisberg, Leslie Zang, Lark White, Renada McGhee, Jilanne Marie Klaus, Sara Cozolino, Khristee Love, Brandon James Gilbert, Darreon Carbin, Jack Ryan Johnson
Director of Photography: Arlene Muller
Editors: Olivia Eliseo
Composer: Freya Berkhout
The Review
Ride or Die
Ride or Die is an ambitious and confident debut, powered by two exceptional lead performances that bring a raw, authentic, and volatile relationship to life. While its brisk runtime sometimes struggles to contain its many ideas, the film succeeds as an intense and stylish character study that thoughtfully blends romance with road-trip thriller elements. It is a powerful portrait of a formative, fiery connection that is both captivating and heartbreaking.
PROS
- Outstanding and charismatic lead performances.
- Stylish, intimate direction and cinematography.
- An authentic and intense portrayal of a complex relationship.
- Effectively explores themes of race and identity.
CONS
- The short runtime leaves some plot points feeling underdeveloped.
- Occasional narrative turns can strain plausibility.
