The Upside; directed by Neil Burger, was released Jan. 11 and quickly became a major hit, replacing Aquaman at the top of the weekend box office, earning a little over $19 million.

This adaptation was based off of the hit French film The Intouchables which was inspired by the true life story of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo.

It’s a comedic movie starring Kevin Hart as Dell Scott, a funny ex-convict and now caregiver with no previous qualifications, and Bryan Cranston as Phillip Lacosse, a rich businessman who was injured in a paragliding accident and became paralyzed from the neck down.

Scott is a father attempting to be there for his son and trying to make up for all of the mistakes he made throughout his life. With the help of his new job and newfound sense of responsibility, he creates a better chance at redemption than he has ever had before.

Lacosse doesn’t care about life anymore as everything that he is missing is excruciatingly painful, but Scott and Yvonne Pendleton, played by Nicole Kidman, Lacosse’s chief executive officer, are able to help him during these trying times.

Scott is the perfectly unqualified life auxiliary Lacosse is looking for, someone who won’t go to any extraordinary measures to save his life, and due to his utter lack of experience and his irresponsible tendencies, Pendleton dislikes him.

Throughout the movie, the sarcastic humor is consistently kept up with serious moments thrown in all coming together to create an effortless flow that made me wanting more.

The only complaint is the ending which left a few questions that could have been answered if it was delivered better. It felt as though Burger was leaving it open to the possibility of a sequel, but he wasn’t sure what he wanted from it.

The acting skills that both Hart and Cranston showed in this adaptation was astounding. Cranston’s ability to play a quadriplegic and make it seem realistic was an impressive job that shouldn’t be overlooked. Hart’s ability to easily mix the combination of humor and seriousness together is an impressive quality that was the perfect addition to the film.

The connection and camaraderie between the actors also helped with the production of the movie as they were able to more effectively carry out their message and show the audience real emotions.

There was definitely no downside in watching The Upside as it lived up to the expectations of its funny, heartwarming preview and my expectations of an entertaining film.

Contact Makinzy Todd at mjt5364@edmondschools.net.