By Vivi Carrasco

With the name “Kevin Hart” slapped across its trailers, you can’t help but have a certain expectation for this film. But The Upside isn’t a comedy—not the kind you’re imagining anyway. The movie challenges Hart’s typical comedic approach, and, while there were chemistry inconsistencies and a predictable plotline, Hart and co-star Brian Cranston delivered a feel-good performance (one that was maybe spun out 30 minutes too long…).

Set in New York City, The Upside, a remake of the French hit film Les Intouchables, follows the polar lives of wealthy quadriplegic Phillip Lacasse and ex-convict Dell Scott. A disastrous paragliding accident permanently confines Phillip to a wheelchair—and the agonizing necessity of others’ helping hands. A series of poor decisions leaves Dell estranged from his son and barely out of prison. Then, a twist of fate brings the two men together. Despite the insistent disapproval of Phillip’s manager Yvonne, Dell is hired to be Phillip’s caregiver—all Phillip’s doing. In the development of their relationship, the paralyzed billionaire’s will to live is restored, and Dell rekindles his relationship with his son.

Now hold on. Further than a superficial glance at the film, you might pick up what I’m picking up on. The Upside is heartwarming all day long, but watch it feed into the stereotyping that contemporary filmmakers are pushing against. Dell, homeless, bounces from his new caregiving position to a low-income neighborhood, where he brings paychecks to his baby mama. Phillip lives in the penthouse of his tower, surrounded by fine art, cars and honestly, a bunch of white people. The Upside could have been an opportunity to unpack and dig into the stereotyping of race and class, but the film never settles into those more complex spaces.

Lost opportunities sprinkled the predictable, yet impossible-to-hate film. Most of these failures stemmed from unexceptional directing and average cinematography and editing decisions. The viewer can pinpoint a lack of artistry from the very beginning, when director Neil Burger uses an irrelevant scene to begin Dell’s and Phillip’s story. Dell races Phillip through the city in a flashy car, attracting the attention of cops and resulting in a highspeed chase. Burger then uses PowerPoint-esc titles to transition from present to flashback…the movie instantly transports you to something released in 2005, not 2019.

The highlight of the movie is Dell’s and Phillip’s relationship, but despite a mostly convincing chemistry, other scenes fell flat. Berger’s disregard of these inconsistencies left a disconnect where the greatest strength should have been. The Upside’s comedy-drama identity may have given it a disadvantage. If it had swung one way over the other, a clearer distinction could’ve carved the path for a stronger film. Moments of comedy, such as Dell’s traumatizing experience with a technologically-advanced shower or the two men’s stoned adventures during Phillip’s classy birthday party, were out of sync with the movie’s slower, more compassionate scenes. Either the comedy or the drama should have served as relief from the other—instead, what we’re left with is a lightwieght dramedy.

A quick internet search surfaces numerous lukewarm reviews of The Upside. At an hour and a half, you may be lower in your seat than you started…maybe you take a glance at the time on your phone. However, imagine that it was meant to challenge existing stereotypes, that it was led at the hand of a stronger director. An occasionally-great (but mostly-mediocre) movie could have turned into something special. Apparently this was not the intention behind this film, but maybe we can all agree that the slightly more dramatic Kevin Hart wasn’t too bad.