Movie Review: "The Upside"

I typically avoid “disease movies” like the plague. 

The new film “The Upside,” starring Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston, isn’t exactly a disease movie. 

In the “The Upside,” Cranston plays Phillip Lacasse, a wealthy businessman/investor who (due to a tragic accident) is a quadriplegic.

He has an assistant Yvonne (Nicole Kidman) who is trying to find a new caregiver for her boss. Phillip has seemingly given up on life, living a listless existence in the care of others. 

When ex-con parolee Dell Scott (Hart) mistakenly shows up for the caregiver interview at Lacasse’s New York City penthouse apartment (Dell is in the building applying for a janitorial position because he needs to prove to his parole officer that he’s looking for work), the quadriplegic is immediately taken by Dell’s disinterested attitude, and hopes to persuade him to be his caregiver. 

Dell finds out how much the position pays, and soon accepts the job (much to the chagrin of Yvonne, who institutes a “three strikes” policy for Dell). 

The setup for the story (based on true events) creates an interesting and affable “Odd Couple”-type dramedy that’s actually an enjoyable two hours at the cinema. 

“The Upside” recalls movies in the 1990s like Al Pacino’s “Scent of a Woman.” 

Sure, it’s schmaltzy and syrupy and manipulative. That said, Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston are both terrific actors who deliver likable performances and are fun to watch interact together on the big screen. 

It’s pretty funny, too. 

For all my millennial readers out there, these are the sort of movies that used to litter the box office back in the 1980s and 1990s. 

There is something oddly soothing in this day and age about a comedy that avoids being raunchy or edgy, and simply tells a story about characters trying to improve their lives — and the lives of others. 

Dell and Phillip both learn from each other as the narrative moves along. Neither man is satisfied in his current existence, but both learn from one another what is important in life. 

Dell is trying to rekindle his relationship with his estranged son. Phillip is trying to find meaning in a world where he is trapped in his own body. 

Part of the reason “The Upside” is likely getting tepid reviews from critics is because it follows a familiar formula for these sorts of movies — something seen countless times in film. 

Director Neil Burger (best known for the “Divergent” trilogy) and screenwriter Jon Hartmere don’t try and reinvent the wheel here. “The Upside” is based on a French film titled “Les Intouchables.”

As I mentioned earlier, the fact that “The Upside” is a throwback to the more gentle comedies of yesteryear didn’t particularly bother me. Sometimes “old fashioned” is good. 

If you’re looking to see something fun at the theater, check out “The Upside.” It’s not going to be mistaken for high art, but it is an enjoyable time at the movies. 

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