Movie review
January 10, 2019 · 126 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Upside.
Woke representation / casting
Prominent black lead (Kevin Hart as Dell) in an interracial friendship with a white billionaire; this matches the original French source and fits the story logic of hiring a parolee from an urban background in modern New York. No marketing push framed it as representation or diversity quota.
Woke political dialogue
Some humorous lines touch on race and class differences, but there are no activist speeches, systemic racism lectures, or identity-based moralizing.
Identity-driven story themes
The core story is personal friendship, redemption, and finding joy across class and ability lines. It does not center collective identity politics or social justice arcs.
Western institutional / cultural critique
No activist-style attacks on capitalism, patriarchy, family norms, or Western institutions. The wealthy character is portrayed positively, and struggles stay personal.
Review
The Upside is a 2019 comedy-drama remake of the French film The Intouchables. It follows a wealthy white quadriplegic man in New York who hires a black ex-convict on parole as his live-in caregiver. The two men from opposite worlds build an unlikely friendship that helps both rediscover joy and purpose in life. The story uses light humor and personal moments to show human connection across differences, with no visible activist messaging or identity lectures.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. The American version keeps the original French story’s interracial caregiver setup without ideological race swaps, gender changes, or added activist elements.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Very little backlash framed the film as woke propaganda. Main debates were about Kevin Hart’s personal tweets and Cranston’s casting as a disabled character. No widespread right-leaning claims that it pushed DEI or identity messaging.
Creator track record context
Director Neil Burger stays mainstream with no activist pattern. French writers Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano publicly defend realistic storytelling and push back against American-style political correctness. Adapter Jon Hartmere has prior LGBTQ+-themed work and recent feminist-leaning projects. Producer Steve Tisch has mild Democratic ties; others show none.
Production
