The Upside (2019) | Film Review

Loosely based on real life events and a remake of the French film The Intouchables, The Upside is a surprising comedy-drama that centers around two men who seemingly couldn’t be any different from each other. Bryan Cranston plays an insanely rich quadriplegic – Philip – who is in pursuit of a new ‘life auxiliary’ (aka caretaker), with the assistance of his lovely Executive, Yvonne (Nicole Kidman). After completely bombing the interview process, Philip makes the decision to hire this man that has entertained him the most and also happens to be the least qualified for the position: Mr. Dell Scott (Kevin Hart).

Recently paroled, Dell is in dire need of either getting his unemployment papers signed or a job. He has a family he’s trying to make amends with, certainly doesn’t have any money, and now he’s out of a place to live. For someone who is living out of a duffel bag that is just barely over the carry-on measurements, Dell certainly is particular about the kind of work he is willing to do…and not do. All of this in addition to the fact that Yvonne does not like, approve of, or want Dell around Philip, let alone taking care of him.

In very minute ways, does this story focus on disability? Sure, there are times where you get insight into how Philip feels being in a wheelchair when people don’t look him in the eye, and don’t bother to ask Dell questions about Philip’s preferences when he’s perfectly capable of answering himself. But that really just added special flashes into the film rather than being a central focus. This alone makes for an interesting dynamic.

Philip and Dell seem to have a natural bond right from the get-go, which is both incredibly entertaining and extremely relatable. Most of us have met someone with whom we instantly bonded with over a similar sense of humor. These relationships where both people ‘get’ each other on a completely platonic level – and who know how to bring the sunshine to someone on a cloudy day with lightning – are the diamonds we spend years seeking and hoping for.

Initially, Dell is entirely interested in the job for the nice paycheck and great live-in arrangement. But as the movie progresses, we see his character grow and develop. Ultimately, we see the same with Philip; as the two get to know each other better and spend more time around one another, they break each other out of their shells and turn the other into an overall better and happier person. This is nothing unique, clever, or new. This is a dynamic that’s been retold time and time again, that we’ve seen a hundred times over. To tell you this is the same story we’ve seen or heard of numerous times before would be misleading and a complete dismissal of what the movie is truly about, and just how enjoyable it actually is.

The performances from Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston are beautiful, so much more fleshed out than the trailer makes it appear. The complexity in their characters and the sense of humor feels so authentic, each playing their parts as if this were actually their own lives. Cranston does a great job of not moving muscles outside of his face and neck (which I imagine would be incredibly difficult) while bringing Philip’s personality to life, and Hart does an impressive job of keying in on the thoughts and emotions of his ally. One of the biggest hesitations I’ve heard about people making the step to go out and see this one in theaters is that they just don’t think Kevin Hart is that funny; he’s just not their type of humor. I have to say, though, The Upside shows a better side of Hart. He doesn’t make jokes for a laugh, he makes sly, snarky remarks that happen to make you laugh. His dramatic side wasn’t over-the-top like it can be in his other comedies, it comes across more intimate and grounded. This is a side of Kevin Hart that I hope to see come to screen more often.

Now that we’ve got the wonderful aspects of the film taken care of, we need to lay the problem out on the table. The camera movements and direction are, for the most part, tolerable – but in the moments they are not, they are extremely distracting and awful. There were times that the camera would randomly morph into a Blair Witch shaky cam, or the transition of the camera panning to the left or right would have no smoothness to the motion that you’d question if they just hit a speed bump in the road. It’s the biggest complaint I had with the film, but the mistakes felt very amateur. It wasn’t enough to deter me from really liking the film, yet it was distracting enough for me to lower the overall score.

The Upside genuinely feels like a movie about the fragility of humanity and the healing powers of friendship. We see how fleeting life can be, how seemingly simple moments can break a person, how years of the same bad habits can ultimately prove your eventual demise. But on the other hand, we also get to see how a deep and understanding friendship can be the glue to repair the cracks on a broken heart. A rare friendship that breeds empathy, compassion, and protection can allow one’s true self to flourish and come alive.

These tales of friendship found in adulthood are so rarely displayed on screen, that when it’s done this well, it’s hard not to take a moment to appreciate it. You’ll leave The Upside with the desire to phone your best friend and tell them just how much they mean to you, how their love and alliance has saved you, and how crucial it is to never let that go.