Movie Review: The Upside
More stories from Lily Williams
Comedian and actor Kevin Hart appears in a heartwarming, but pensive film, The Upside.
Viewers of this movie are able to see Kevin Hart playing something different than his normal comical and cheerful role.
This movie, based on a true story, highlights the importance of living life to the fullest.
Dell, played by Kevin Hart, struggles in many aspects of his life. His unemployment, parole requirements, and disconnection from his son are all issues continuously intruding his life.
Dell desperately searches for signatures from different companies, so he can show proof to the court that he is looking for work. When he comes across a job as an assistant to a wealthy, elderly, paralyzed man named Phillip (Bryan Cranston), he is instantly admired by the man in the wheelchair.
By the end of the movie, I noticed how many themes were brought out by the plot, which allowed me to analyze the underlying meaning of the storyline and choose which message stood out to me the most.
Dell is looked past by the interviewer because of race, appearance, and attitude. However, Bryan offers Dell the job because he is something different than what he is used to.
They are both forced to adapt to different lifestyles throughout the movie. Dell moves into the luxurious, New York City penthouse and Bryan finds himself enjoying Dell’s humor and fun ideas.
Throughout the film, Dell and Bryan become closer and closer, introducing each other to new things and finding similarities within one another. It truly symbolizes how essential it is to go out of your comfort zone once in a while. An unexpected friendship forms between these two characters and they are seen really enjoying each other’s company.
The main idea that was often exemplified in this movie, was the significance of not judging someone solely based on their appearance. They are able to look past the skin color, the disability, and the societal norms, which allows them to see the true goodness within both of them.
If you’re one to enjoy movies that tug on your heartstrings with a little comic relief, then The Upside is worth seeing in theaters.
