THE UPSIDE – “A fairly cliched odd couple dramedy that mostly works”
RATING
DIRECTOR
Neil Burger (Divergent – 2014)
STARRING
- Kevin Hart as Dell Scott
- Bryan Cranston as Phillip Lacasse
- Nicole Kidman as Yvonne
- Genevieve Angelson as Jenny
- Aja Naomi King as Latrice
- Julianna Margulies as Lily
SYNOPSIS
A remake of the French 2011 film The Intouchables, which was inspired by the life of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo.
Phillip is a wealthy quadriplegic who needs a caretaker to help him with his day-to-day routine in his New York penthouse. He decides to hire Dell, a struggling parolee who's trying to reconnect with his ex and his young son. Despite coming from two different worlds, an unlikely friendship starts to blossom.
REVIEW SUMMARY
The Upside is a fairly cliched odd couple dramedy that mostly works thanks in part to the impeccable chemistry between star's Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston. The 2 actors do fine work in their respective roles, especially Hart, who tones down his frenetic energy jusssst enough to be authentic, but still funny. Sure the script is familiar, the message preachy, and the outcome predictable - BUT the journey is rather warm and charming. And in addition to some genuinely funny moments, the film also boasts a slick urban look and feel giving a beautiful view of New York City’s many sides. Could it have been better? Definitely. Could it have been worse? A whole heck of a lot. So, perhaps that's the real upside.
BOX OFFICE TOP 5
7
Kung Fu Panda 4
$5.5 million