“Starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart, ‘The Upside’ (2019) recreates the story of its 2011 counterpart
‘The Intouchables: Cranston’s Phillip Lacasse, a wealthy quadriplegic, employs Hart’s Dell Scott, a former convict, to be his caretaker, or ‘life auxiliary.’
The pair soon form a humorous and heartwarming friendship that ultimately changes their lives.” (Brunjes, 4)
The film was far from critically acclaimed, earning scores in the 40s on MetaCritic and Rotten Tomatoes.
The film missed many opportunities to explore complex racial and socioeconomic inequality issues. It focuses solely on disability.
The plot is set in motion because Philip needs a full-time caretaker. Because of his wealth, he has many qualified applicants to choose from. Dell Scott, an ex-con, was not meant to be a candidate.
He is searching for a signature to satisfy his probation officer and to avoid serving more time.
“He stops at a luxury Park Avenue apartment building for a janitor position,
but by luck and inattention ends up in the penthouse awaiting an interview to be a live-in life auxiliary for Phillip.” (Brunjes, 4).
Dell’s first scene with Philip starts with him barging in on a candidate interview, saying, “relax, it’s not a hold-up.” He surveys the room and immediately goes to Philip, who he addresses as the boss, and demands a signature.
Philip asks Dell, “how would I sign it?”
Dell responded, “I don’t know, slowly?”
“Phillip, a billionaire seemingly accustomed to blind obedience and an infantilizing sensitivity to his disability, is attracted to Dell’s brazenness” (Brunjes, 4).
Dell declines Philip’s offer by saying,
“Look, I think your plantation is bananas, but unfortunately, I don’t wanna be nobody’s servant.”
Everything Dell says here assumes Philip and his assistant Yvonne are racially profiling him before he speaks. Dell’s egocentrism and experience with racial discrimination help him win Philip over by treating him as “everyone else.”
The similarity between Dell and Philip’s experiences with discrimination is addressed through a scene where
Dell corrects a cashier when he tries to ask him what Philip wants. “Look, man, don’t do that; talk to him.”
The cashier apologizes, and Philip thanks Dell, saying, “Thanks for speaking up. I get treated with such (he pauses and does not complete this thought and continues)
“Or I’m invisible. Unless they know I have money.” Dell responds, “Welcome to my world, except for the money.”
Dell’s response is a hint at socioeconomic issues. The film chooses to remain surface level by only referencing physical attributes of race and disabilities.
Source
Brunjes, Alexandra. “Cranston Shines in Remake of ‘The Upside’.” UWIRE Text, 18 Jan. 2019, p. 1. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A570116350/AONE? u=nysl_oweb&sid=sitemap&xid=0f5ad4e9. Accessed 1 Jan. 2023