Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- warm
- sincere
- witty
- lazy sunday
- feel good movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film clichéd and overly manipulative despite praising the chemistry between Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Wealthy quadriplegic Philip develops a friendship with Dell, a parolee struggling with financial and family pressures.
Dell assists Philip with daily routines while Philip's companionship and trust help Dell rebuild his life.
The film is an American remake of The Intouchables, retaining its central caregiver-friendship premise.
Kevin Hart plays Dell as a parolee whose humor gradually gives way to emotional responsibility and commitment.
Films like The Upside, and why
The Intouchables
shared interracial friendship, class differences, caregiver relationship, and emotionally accessible comedy-drama
Green Book
shared interracial friendship, social-class tension, road-to-empathy storytelling, and warm dramatic comedy
Driving Miss Daisy
shared caregiver-and-employer relationship, class contrast, personal transformation, and sentimental drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Neil Burger
- Release Date
- 2019-01-10
- Runtime
- 126 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (1408)
Cast
- Kevin Hart
- Bryan Cranston
- Nicole Kidman
- Golshifteh Farahani
- Aja Naomi King
- Tate Donovan
- Jahi Di'Allo Winston
- Genevieve Angelson
- Suzanne Savoy
- Julianna Margulies
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Upside about?
- A parolee caregiver and a wealthy quadriplegic forge an unlikely friendship that transforms both their lives.
- What is The Upside like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Upside as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Upside violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Upside.
- What did critics think of The Upside?
- Critics broadly found the film clichéd and overly manipulative despite praising the chemistry between Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart.
- Which films are like The Upside?
- Films with a similar feel include The Intouchables, Green Book, and Driving Miss Daisy.
- How long is The Upside?
- The Upside runs 126 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Upside?
- In United States, The Upside streams on Hulu.
