Anyone who is even remotely tuned in to TV, YouTube, or any other channel where advertising thrives has more than likely seen an ad for the Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart film The Upside.  Something about the setup of the film was bugging me, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.  Then, while digging through my stack of Netflix DVDs, I realized what the oddness was : The Upside is a remake of a recent French film (based on a true story) called Intouchables, which I somehow randomly had in my queue.  

Driss (Omar Sy) is a former convict looking for easy opportunities to fulfill his welfare benefits, and while doing so, he stops at the home of Philippe (Francois Cluzet), a wealthy quadriplegic in need of full-time live-in assistance.  Driss has no intentions of getting the job, so he jokes with Philippe and hits on Magalie (Audrey Fleurot), his assistant, before leaving the interview and returning home to the projects in hopes of coming back the following day to retrieve his signature.  Much to the surprise of Driss, however, he finds himself being given a tour of his duties and living quarters upon his return the following day, and head caretaker Yvonne (Anne Le Ny) informs him he is on a trial period for the position.  As Driss learns the ropes, he and Philippe form a bond, much to the dismay of the other wealthy members of Philippe’s social circle who pity him because of his predicament.  As the two men strengthen their bond, they learn about one another, the world around them, and themselves.

The chemistry that Omar Sy has with everyone he interacts with in this film is infectious.  The interactions in this film could easily follow tried and true paths that have already been formulated in comedy, but the movie manages to bring a fresh energy simply because of the sincerity that Sy and the rest of the cast bring to their performances.  Francois Cluzet completely commits to the limits of his role without leaning on indication or obvious choices, which allows his interactions with Sy to be rich, and his circumstance to be an aside (if not altogether forgotten) when the two share scenes together.  Even Driss’s interactions with Magalie play un-problematic due to Audrey Fleurot and her reaction choices, all of which generally bring a smile to the face of the viewer while they watch the flirtation emerge.

Overall, the film does quite well with handling sensitive topics without leaning on preaching or forcing life lessons upon the viewer.  The necessary exposition-based moments are present (Driss expecting to be turned away by the rich people, the divide between Philippe and Elisa, and so on), but they do not occur at the expense of the movie’s pacing or the unfolding of the narrative.  The change that occurs is synergistic and natural, with both parties being impacted in believable ways rather than the idea of ‘a-ha’ moments that follow lofty monologues about hope and dreams.  The way that Driss is allowed to share his values (and have his sentiments matched via Yvonee) in a way that involves conflict kills two birds with one stone, providing both an obstacle for everyone to get over and an insight into the differences of child-raising in both men’s experiences.

In terms of production value, things are pretty by the book, but this film runs more so on the heart that lies within that visual flare or movie trickery.  The colors are rich and deeply saturated, helping to visually cue us in on the wealth that Philippe is surrounded by.  The home that Philippe resides in has the proper amount of grandeur and awe to it, and some of his cars are quite impressive.  The pacing is upbeat enough for the humorous and lighthearted moments to play, but deliberate and patient enough for us to feel the weight of the situation and the world of difference between Philippe and Driss.

Francois Cluzet manages to make us not pity him for his position, but rather admire the strong points of his character, and show how he is able to continue with is life despite the situation he is in.  Omar Sy walks the line between intimidating and compassionate with ease, allowing both streetwise humor and true moments of emotional vulnerability to drive his character.  Audrey Fleurot plays against type for her character’s nature by allowing a playful and flirtatious nature to reside in her performance, and not just relying on fear of Driss to inform her choices.  Anne Le Ny brings an air of wisdom and understanding in her interactions with Driss, making sure not to talk down to him or create a class divide that would distract from the story.  Alba Gaia Bellugi plays her role as angst-ridden teenager to a tee while carefully avoiding the realm of tropes in her choices (such as eye-rolls and such), while simultaneously providing an entitled edge to her performance that causes wonderful friction.