10s Movie Review - The Upside

Director: Neil Burger
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman
Description: A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy man with quadriplegia (Bryan Cranston) and an unemployed man with a criminal record (Kevin Hart) who’s hired to help him.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 48: A MOVIE SET BU SOUTH-AMERICA
 
Review: Dell Scott makes his living from shady dealings and benefits. The latter seems to be coming to an end when his probation officer forces him to apply for a job and so he has to look for a real job. Dell has no intention of throwing himself into an honest job, however, and so he does everything but his best during various job applications. Until the moment he steps into the penthouse of millionaire Philip Lacasse. Lacasse is paralyzed and is therefore looking for a caretaker. A job for which the inexperienced Dell is totally unsuitable. Yet Philip sees in him the ideal person to help him and give his dormant life a new impulse. An impulse that will completely turn his life, and those around him, upside down. But a completely new world also opens up for Scott that makes him question the things he believed in until then.

“The Upside” is an American remake of the French film “Intouchables” from 2011. That movie was a huge success and I also absolutely loved it. The story is based on the true life friendship of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and Abdel Sellou and was before this already depicted in the documentary “A la vie, à la mort” in 2003. You could say, a remake of “Intouchables” is not really necessary, which I would agree too. But to be honest, I’m not mad about “The Upside”.

When you compare the two, “Intouchables” is without a doubt the better movie. But looking at it, not thinking of the original, “The Upside” is actually a really good, heartwarming film. Bryan Cranston can do no wrong in my eyes and I liked him in his role. But it’s actually Kevin Hart that steals the show here. I seem to prefer Hart in roles like this, where he has his comedic moments, but they are not taking the overhand. He can do light drama very well. And Hart and Cranston are also very good together.  

I highly enjoyed “The Upside” and would still recommend it.

Rating: 4/ 5