The Upside: Review by @Kush_Hayes
So unlike Steve McQueens Widows, everyone and my mom seem to know that the new Bryan Cranston Kevin Hart movie is a remake of a French Film called Les Intouchables. And everyone seems to need to tell you that and somehow allow that to negatively affect their enjoyment of a movie they arent going to see and also probably havent seen the original they enjoy telling you about each baited breath.
Now that we got that out of the way, this is the Best film Kevin Hart has been apart of. This is the best role hes performed. And the best news of that statement is that he will go on to do better work after this. The problem, is that everyones Best in this, just is not enough.
I found this Neil Burger film, remarkable, charming, of course funny and tells the story it was made to tell. And when I originally saw the trailer for this, probably with Widows, I remember the chain of thoughts exactly how it happened: “Kevin Hart is going for that Oscar… January Release?”
The timeline for this movies release is just strange, and leading up to this, I would grow concern for the quality of the film. This movie originally debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival” in the fall of 2017 and then per IMDB there would be a 13 month window before it found its way to Aspen. Steven Zeitchik has an amazing article in The Washington Post about this movies history and how this is actually one of the last assets from the Harvey Weinstein catalog.
Enough about that, enough about the controversy for Kevin Hart and the Oscars.
Lets talk the movie.
As noted above, this is a charming little movie. The best thing Ive seen Kevin Hart in. Bryan Cranston gives an amazing performance and this movie proves this man can make a reading of a Take Out Menu engaging. Nicole Kidman does a fine job playing those side roles I think I know her best for when she isnt the lead and when she isnt killing it with exceptional roles like in Destroyer (which I was allowed to see earlier the same day).
Kevin Hart works well with everyone I believe, and its his chemistry with Cranston that enhances the material. You have fun watching these two on the screen and I never tired during the films two hour run time.
Other than Harts character helping Cranstons character re-appreciate life again, and Cranston teaching Hart a thing or two about character in a man, there really isnt much to this movie. Despite Cranston hiring Hart specifically because he has no experience in caretaking flat out hoping that he’ll die under Harts watch, at first they dont get along. Then they do get along. Then they smoke some weed and get to become better friends, except for when theyre mad at each other and then they make up again. This is a pattern of the movie, until it ultimately ends at two hours. Because.
Again, I enjoyed every minute of this movie. I feel no need to see the original movie. I look forward to seeing more dramatic work with Hart. But unfortunately besides Harvey Weinstein and controversies with the main leads of the film, there is a reason this was finally given a January 2019 release. The movies only ok.
Three out of Six Blueberries.
Rated PG-13 for suggestive content and drug use
This review was originally published Jan 11th 2019 on Kush And Kai
© 2019 TheBosNet Family All Rights Reserved
