THE UPSIDE: Not A Lot Of It

I will simply start by discussing the intimation in the film’s title. The upside here is perpetually witty, eternally sincere, and endlessly reliant on humor in art. (Verdi becomes a code word for “things are going Verdi bad.”) However, it is the downside in this January comedy that confirms its release in the midst of early year studio schlock. And oh how it rejoices in its schlockiness!

If you hadn’t guessed that already by the befittingly titled Escape Artist Productions; the stereotyped plot, bombastically bratty characters, and by-the-numbers glaze might befuddle ones gaze. As a result, we come to realize that The Intouchables is untouchable.

Like Oliver Nakache’s wonderful tale of a paralyzed aristocrat finding joy through his African-American caretaker, Neil Burger’s American reboot captures whiffs of the same charm and heart, if only in its socioeconomic and fish-out-of-water squibs. Phillip (Bryan Cranston) is a big fish in a big pond; he’s a quadriplegic multi-millionaire best known for his self-help book “Lateral Thinking” – if only Burger had given it a read.

Then there is Dell (Kevin Hart), a long-winded ex-con wound up by poverty in New York and his inability to connect with his family. The two are rolling through life the only way they know how – which apparently means needlessly sulking. So when Kevin Hart enters the scene in search for a job, as well as purpose, he isn’t basking in that overdone sprightliness we come to expect, and we get the sense that something is wrong. Not just in these two characters, but in the tone.

The Upside?

The moment Harts’ eyebrows raise and forehead wrinkles at the sight of white columns and “modernist” paintings of circles and squares inside the glamorous apartment, the tone should be excitement. Or anything besides ill-humored derision on suffering. Why do these two have to be such squares?

The answer comes in the form of Tolstoy-esque family suffering. Phillip’s wife is dead, and Dell’s troubled background means he can no longer see his wife and kid. But by choosing each other they are choosing life. As you can assume, Dell falls for all things money can buy, and Phillip releases stress through the little things. And as these two open up, so do we, though some patience will be mandatory to get there. The early road through poor dramatic pacing, and even poorer “you think that cause I am black?” jokes might have some heading for the exits.

It starts to head in the right direction when the feel good vibe kicks in. The two bond over joints, Purcell and Aretha Franklin, as well as some quasi-brilliant wordplay centering upper-class pretentions. “What about the girl in the botox?” asks Dell at a snooty Opera, “you guys are perfect for each other. You can’t move your body, and she can’t move her face.” Jokes like these move by at a brisk pace, and when the film centers the comedic over the dramatic, Hart and Cranston seem to be having a blast.

There is something to be said about joy-rides around New York in the Ferrari or in Phillips’ equally sporty wheelchair. Don’t be fooled by the grey protruding from Hart’s beard; that bubbling youthful energy is still there, which makes it a great film to boost his image after all that Oscar controversy. Since after all, the theme here is second chances.

The Upside: Conclusion

I can’t exactly recommend you take a chance with this one, even if it can find genuine humor in the hard subject matter of catheters. Why? Well, because you have seen it all before, and probably done better. With clichés and flimsy life lessons sticking to the frigid Manhattan air, a lofty triteness is ever building up until the sky-high paragliding climax. It is as if Burger mistook airiness for air-born action. It happens, I guess.

But there is no excuse for the diverting sub-plots, misuse of a talent like Nicole Kidman, and dramatic dialogue that would make more sense in French without subtitles (I don’t speak French). What with the message of “money buys happiness” lurking just under the surface. Only when Dell has money does his family appreciate his efforts. By then you begin to realize that the film had fallen and can’t get up.

Have you seen The Upside? What were your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!

The Upside released on January 11, 2019. For all international release dates, click here.