The Upside

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2:30

The Upside

PG-13

2019

2h 6m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

43%

Tomatometer

190 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

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 as Dell and Phillip rediscover the joy of living life to the fullest.

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Critics Consensus

Preachy, manipulative, and frustratingly clichéd, The Upside showcases Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart's chemistry without ever taking full advantage of it.

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

04/13/2020

Director Neil Burger, for his part, moves the story along fairly briskly, refusing to let the film's schmaltziness weigh it down. This is nothing remarkable, but it could have been a lot worse.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

09/13/2019

Does it work? No, not really... But Kevin Hart is good.

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Brad Newsome

Sydney Morning Herald

05/03/2019

As the paint-by-numbers plot progresses -- over two very long hours -- the treacle thickens and it becomes clear that each of them is slowly going to learn from and be redeemed by the others.

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Calum Cooper

Source (Scotland)

07/14/2024

2/5

It’s perfectly fine, all things considered, but it’s still far too mechanical for my tastes.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/21/2022

3/5

The film’s investment is in telling us about this crazy and unique friendship. In doing so it may not hit every note it should, but it still manages to be a worthwhile watch.

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M.N. Miller

Ready Steady Cut

08/17/2022

3.5/5

The Upside appeals to mass audience erogenous zones (bankable star, humor, candy-coating issues) that’s unapologetically feel-good while offering award season relief.

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Katie D

03/15/2021

definitely funny and heartwarming! I have to say that although it was supposed to be set in New York, I could tell that it was not actually filmed there. I did not realize that this was a remake and now I'd like to watch the French version to compare. It did make me wonder what parts really happened, what was based on the autobiography, what was based on the other film and what was made up.

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Justin S

@CJEngelbrecht Dec 4

The movie is worth a watch, yes it is predictable, but most movies are these days, its also a good performance from Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart in a dramatic tone.

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Janet D

@DrJanet Nov 1

While there are a number of funny moments, this is NOT a comedy. Based closely on a true story, it's an intense, poignant movie about finding the strength and will to overcome disastrous circumstances.

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Jeff N

@Sooner918 Oct 24

This movie premiered before its time. It’s 2025, and I never saw it advertised or even heard about it from friends or family. That’s a shame because The Upside is a genuinely good film. It brings together two people from opposite ends of the socio-economic spectrum, with completely different physical abilities, and shows that—at the core—people are just people. No matter how much money or how many ‘things’ someone has, or whether a person is an Olympic pentathlon athlete or a quadriplegic genius chess master, what truly matters is being authentic and treating others with respectful understanding. Sometimes that means polite respect for differences, and other times, it’s about using sarcastic kindness to bridge the gap.

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Giorgio G

@GioBlob Oct 10

Well, what can I say?! All the American versions of French or any other foreign movies are always a far, far cry from the original. The story, in fact, the Real Life Story, is so beautiful that even an American remake can't really ruin it, but it simply doesn't have the finesse of the original. It's still watchable, but I obviously rather recommend the original version (which was a 9/10). This one is a 5/10!!

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peanutbutter m

Aug 12

Shame on you america. The Intouchables was amazing. What have you done? Shame. Shame. Shame. How dared you!!!! The worst

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Neil Burger

Director

Kevin Hart

Dell Scott

Bryan Cranston

Phillip Lacasse

Nicole Kidman

Yvonne Pendleton

Aja Naomi King

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Synopsis

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 as Dell and Phillip rediscover the joy of living life to the fullest.

Director: Neil Burger
Producer: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch
Screenwriter: Jon Hartmere
Distributor: STX Films
Production Co: Escape Artists
Rating: PG-13 (Suggestive Content|Drug Use)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 11, 2019, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 14, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $108.2M
Runtime: 2h 6m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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