The Upside

Director Neil Burger, for his part, moves the story along fairly briskly, refusing to let the film's schmaltziness weigh it down. This is nothing remarkable, but it could have been a lot worse.

Does it work? No, not really... But Kevin Hart is good.

As the paint-by-numbers plot progresses -- over two very long hours -- the treacle thickens and it becomes clear that each of them is slowly going to learn from and be redeemed by the others.

This is not much more than a light crowdpleaser, but when you've got two powerhouse performers like this it is very difficult not to find oneself at least temporarily charmed.

The most optimistic answer would be that after decades of overuse we're beginning to grow weary of such racist caricatures. Let's hope that's true.

The Upside has all the elements of a heartwarming film and sometimes arranges them in compelling ways, but the film overall lacks warmth for its characters or passion for its plot.

It’s perfectly fine, all things considered, but it’s still far too mechanical for my tastes.

The film’s investment is in telling us about this crazy and unique friendship. In doing so it may not hit every note it should, but it still manages to be a worthwhile watch.

The Upside appeals to mass audience erogenous zones (bankable star, humor, candy-coating issues) that’s unapologetically feel-good while offering award season relief.

It's a little long. The real anchor for the movie is their relationship, but it's super funny.