Review of The Upside (2019) by Hnestlyonthesly — 07 Oct 2019

The Upside is a delight that draws its energy from the charisma of its lead actors, their inexhaustible chemistry, and the objective lens that dramatizes and finds humor in the everyday experiences of people with disabilities without being maudlin or clinical–which is sort of Phil’s point when he picks Dell to be his attendant in the first place. If you can get past the fact that this movie tells the story of an incredibly thin slice of the disability community, you’ll love this fun, brisk romp.

This film has been a long time coming for us. We first started seeing the trailers in December and Wife seemed approving. The script deftly heads off the most salient criticisms of privilege with a few exchanges between Phil and Dell–the resolution to the stolen book and the recurring “strike” system shows off Phil’s unexpected forgiveness and open mind and deepens the mystery of why Phil chose Dell in the first place.

The love triangle side plot gives Phil a chance to examine different facets of romance from the perspective of a guilty widow, an unobservant friend (Yvonne), and a smitten but anxious admirer (Lily). One of the film’s strengths is its interest in the sexuality of people with disabilities (see also, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far and The Shape of Water).

By digging deeper into a place often buried, The Upside finds a trove of humor and insight into the emotional life of Phil. Phil resists some of the nastier tropes of people who acquire their physical disabilities late in life, like suicidal tendencies or excessive self pity (see most recently Me Before You and check out Erin Clark’s funny, insightful critique from refinery29). He’s wracked with guilt because of his recklessness, but much of the film is about his interest in art, music, women, and hotdogs (the hotdog scene is maybe one of my favorite in the whole film). The Upside to me shows that movies can feature people with disabilities as protagonists without having to be about having a disability.

The Upside‘s observations about the humor of everyday life as someone who needs an attendant show that new perspectives in storytelling open doors to humor and drama that has been mostly passed over previously.