This billionaire buddy film is surprisingly entertaining despite the clichéd predictability. It’s a remake of the popular 2012 French film The Intouchables starring François Cluzet and Omar Sy, based on a true story which was also a feel-good cliché, but that one seemed a bit more real.
At times devolving into political correctness, Writer John Hartmere and director Neil Burger (Divergent, Limitless) make light comedy from the pairing of the ultra-rich white quadriplegic, Phil, (Bryan Cranston) and the struggling black parolee, Dell, (Kevin Hart). Dell’s innate goodness and humanity, emerge with their friendship. Oh, and along the way Dell conveniently saves Phil both physically and emotionally.
Bryan Cranston is an actor eminently worth watching. Forced to portray his character without moving his limbs, Cranston still finds a way to add physicality while using facial expression to convey supreme angst, anger and eventually joy within the parameters of his restricted mobility. Nicole Kidman in her 4th movie this season in yet another different role, plays Phil’s prim and proper, upscale assistant who has to train the out of control Dell. Their friction works but you never lose sight of her being Nicole Kidman.
Kevin Hart is getting his first opportunity to be something more than a stand-up comedian or movie funnyman. Hart is a talented comedian who is starting to find his way as a dramatic actor. He walks a tightrope between the two in this film, sometimes forgetting he’s playing a role and not doing standup. Even so, you take Hart to heart in his earnest attempt at drama. We expect him to be funny so maybe a serious persona is one he’s still trying to establish.
What is unfortunate is the contrivance of this story. Hartmere and Burger use the tired convention of starting the film with the resolution of their relationship and then rewind six months to follow the progression. So all tension presented to whether Phil will survive or if Dell can win him over is erased in the first two minutes of the movie. We’ve already been put at ease. The unfolding relationship and characters aren’t compelling enough to let us forget it’s all going to be ok.
To his credit, when Hartmere’s script is not dishing up pat racial stereotyping and economic class jokes, there are some good laughs, especially in the scene where Dell has to manipulate a catheter and encounter colon hygiene. It’s played excellently with deadpan humor from Cranston, and hilarious gross disbelief from Hart, but without getting too invasive and uncomfortable to watch. That’s one of the funniest scenes but there are more that provide lots of laughs.
The subplot of Dell trying to buy back into the life of his son, Anthony (Jahi Di’Allo) and mother (Aja Naomi King) after leaving them high and dry without child support is very cliché, especially with the exorbitant amount of money the billionaire is now paying him. How he doesn’t get rolled leaving Phil’s mega expensive, classic car in front of New York City projects is totally unrealistic. Even more so when Dell, seeing how much Phil’s modern art collection is worth, tries his own hand at painting. It’s a contrived diversion. Even more stereotypical is Hart as Dell overacting when attending his first opera, and later, turning his buddy, Phil, on to Aretha Franklin. Cute touch or more racial stereotyping?
The message of the film is that two very different people are drawn together because of their mutual needs. Dell needed a job and money. Phil needed 24-hour health care and someone to treat him as a person, not a patient. They get to know, appreciate and care about each other and there are some very funny moments. Nothing wrong with that. But this film wastes the talent of A-listers big-time. The Upside here is seeing Kevin Hart starting to grow his range as a serious actor. Good to see he has the chance to learn from Bryan Cranston and Nicole Kidman, two of the best.
STXfilms 126 Minutes PG-13
