The Upside: The Movie vs. The True Story

The Upside tells the charming true story of an unlikely friendship between a paralyzed billionaire and a recently paroled convict, but there were some changes the movie made. An American remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables, The Upside stars Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston. It may not have resonated with audiences in the same way as its predecessor, but it remains an uplifting tale made all the more impactful because it is inspired by a true story.

It’s partly based on the true story of quadriplegic millionaire Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and his former aide, Abdel Sellou. Neil Burger’s 2017 remake makes some notable changes to the original French movie it is based on, including key aspects of Phillippe and Abdel’s story. Looking at how the true story compares, some more unbelievable elements are based on fact. Some of the changes to The Upside‘s true story are controversial, and there’s plenty to examine regarding the differences.

10 The Real-Life Philippe Was Descended From French Aristocrats

The Movie Depicted Him As An Entrepreneur

In The Upside, Philip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston), is an extremely wealthy entrepreneur who made his fortune buying up failing tech startups and making them successful. However, the real Philippe di Borgo’s fortune came from a much different source. The di Borgo name is part of the French aristocracy and can be traced back to the 1500s. In real life, Philippe was the son of a French duke and became quadriplegic following a paragliding accident in 1993 (via Newsweek).

He grew up surrounded by wealth and luxury, almost all of which he inherited from his noble ancestors. This change offers an interesting distinction in the story, as Philip’s self-made success adds to his pride, which makes him somewhat difficult to deal with at times. Instead, in real life, Philippe was suicidal at times and finally found a reason to live when Abdel came into his life. This change altered how audiences related to Philip, but the change didn’t affect the overall story.

9 Philippe Was Successful In The Champagne Industry

Philip’s Wealth Was Less Focused On French Culture In The Movie

While he may have grown up wealthy, the real Philippe added to his wealth by becoming a successful businessman, a trait that he shares with his fictional counterpart. However, rather than Silicon Valley, the real Philippe flexed his business strengths within France’s illustrious champagne industry. There, he became involved in two of France’s most popular champagne houses, first at Moet & Chandon, where he worked as a manager, and then later at Pommery, where he became the company’s director.

It is another change to the reality of Philippe’s wealth that perhaps would not have translated as well to an American story. Since The Upside was an American remake of the French tale, making his wealth tech-based helps it translate better. French audiences related just fine to the champagne industry when The Intouchables told the same true story. This did little to change things, outside of making his business more relatable to the United States audiences.

8 Philippe And His First Wife Adopted Two Children

Philip’s Solitude Was Key To Bryan Cranston’s The Upside Character

In The Upside, Bryan Cranston’s character is depicted as being childless and alone. However, after marrying his first wife in 1973, the real couple later adopted a son and a daughter, both of whom were originally born in Columbia. Interestingly, The Upside reverses the role of parentage from the true story, making Kevin Hart’s character, Dell Scott, the one with a child.

It is an understandable poetic license to take to sell the message of the movie better. Having Philip seem like he has no one else in his life amplifies the profound nature of his friendship with Dell. While this is a bit emotionally manipulative, to make it look like Philip had no one in his life other than Dell, it was clearly a good move from a storytelling perspective when showing how much he needed help in his life.

7 Abdel Sellou Was An Algerian Immigrant

Like Philip, Dell’s The Upside Character Is American

Kevin Hart’s character in The Upside, Dell, shares many similarities with his real-life counterpart, Abdel. Both were petty thieves who were incarcerated and became caregivers through a government-sanctioned rehabilitation program. The differences, however, begin with their respective origins. Abdel’s childhood was tumultuous, and he was sent from his native Algeria to live with family in Paris. However, his troubles continued into adulthood, and he was eventually arrested for pickpocketing. After a brief incarceration, Abdel was given the opportunity to work to avoid more jail time and the possibility of deportation.

This is where he ended up meeting Philippe. Of course, the American version of this story changes the nationality of the key characters, including Philip, who is also made an American. Dell’s change is a more controversial one, as it ignores the potential for a storyline featuring a prominent immigrant character. However, there is also a notable commentary on the difference between a wealthy white man and a struggling African-American character which The Upside features.

6 Abdel Also Stole From His Employer

The Items Stolen Was Changed For The Movie

One very specific detail that carried over from the true story behind The Upside to the film occurs at the very beginning. During his interview with Philip, Dell steals a rare, first-edition copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. An almost identical scene happened in real life, only rather than a century-old copy of a classic work of American literature, Abdel stole a Faberge Egg, presumably to sell on the street for a small fortune.

The moment is pivotal in starting their relationship, and the fact that it comes from The Upside‘s true story is a powerful example of how such moments are not always the work of fiction. The change in what was stolen was likely also made to differentiate the American audience from the French audience. Both items were valuable, but the book made more sense with the action moving to the United States.

Related

12 Best Kevin Hart Movies (According To Rotten Tomatoes)

Hilarious and charismatic, Kevin Hart has dozens of acting credits to his name. Here are his best movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

5 Abdel Was Childless

Dell Was Given A Push On His Path Of Betterment

Part of the motivating factor behind Dell’s decision to work in The Upside stems from his desire to provide for his child and ex-girlfriend. He wants to prove to his family that he’s changed and can be a better man. In real life, Abdel didn’t have that problem because he did not have any children by the time he met Phillippe. His reason for working for Phillippe began solely with his need for a job.

Just as with the change of making Philip childless in The Upside, the choice to give Dell a child is an understandable one. While he didn’t necessarily need the extra motivation to work for Philip, it is a detail that suggests he is on a path of redemption. This is much less controversial than his nationality change, as this was simply a storytelling device to give Dell something to make him more relatable to the viewers.

4 Phillippe’s Wife Was Alive When Abdel Met Him

Nicole Kidman’s Character In The Upside Was Also Changed

By the time Dell meets Philip in The Upside, Philip’s wife has already died of cancer, and it is assumed that several years have passed since then. In reality, Phillippe’s wife was still alive by the time Abdel began working as his caretaker, though she did die of cancer shortly thereafter. While it is a very personal detail to have changed in the movie, it is another one that makes sense for the narrative of The Upside as it would be hard to become invested in the friendship between Philip and Dell while Philip’s wife was battling cancer.

Throughout the movie, it is also implied that Philip and his secretary Yvonne (Nicole Kidman) have romantic feelings for each other. While Kidman’s character does have a real-life equivalent, there is no evidence they were ever romantically involved. It is a fairly predictable change for the movie to make, wanting to add some romance into the story, but it is an unnecessary subplot.

Related

Nicole Kidman’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked

Nicole Kidman has been one of the world’s most famous and successful actors for decades. Here are the best films from her career, ranked.

3 Philippe And Abdel Had A Number Of Hilarious Hijinks

The Friendship Between Philip And Dell Did Grow Out Of Pranks

It is extremely well documented that once the real-life counterparts of Philip and Dell became friends, they took to doing pranks and going on silly little adventures. This included souping up Philippe’s wheelchair to make it faster, and joyriding around Paris in his collection of exotic cars. Even the scene in The Upside where Philip fakes a seizure to get Dell out of a speeding ticket is identical to a real-life incident when Abdel was caught speeding in Philippe’s Rolls-Royce with Philippe in the passenger seat.

These adventures with the two men offer a lot of charm and humor to the movie. It makes them even more enjoyable to know they are hilariously taken from the real things these characters used to do. “He treated me like I needed to be treated in the tough times ahead,” Philippe said (via Newsweek). “I needed to be back on track. Pity is the last thing you need. Pity is hopeless. Pity is what someone gives you because he is afraid to take care of you.”

Related

10 Best Bryan Cranston Movie & TV Roles, According To IMDb

Bryan Cranston is a seasoned actor with five decades of acting experience- but which 10 of his roles are ranked the highest on IMDb?

2 Both Men Eventually Settled Down And Got Married

The Coincidence Behind Their Respective Romances Was Also Omitted

While The Upside ends with the audience being assured that Philip and Dell remain friends to this day, an important detail is left out. Shortly after the publication of the book that would later inspire The Intouchables and its many remakes, Philippe and Abdel went on holiday to Morocco, where Abdel ended up meeting the woman whom he would eventually marry. Interestingly enough, Philip also ended up meeting a woman in Morocco who would end up becoming his second wife.

Ironically, this is the kind of detail that, if included in the movie, would have felt like a bit of unrealistic Hollywood storytelling to give a happy ending. This ending was also impossible since the movie made several other changes from their true stories, including Philip’s attraction to Yvonne and Dell’s ex-girlfriend and child in the film that didn’t exist in real life.

1 The Two Finished Their Professional Relationship On Good Terms

The Real Dell And Philip From The Upside Remained Friends

Like in The Upside, Abdel stopped working as Philippe’s caregiver, but their working relationship ended much more amicably than how it was depicted. In the movie, Philip’s insecurities about venturing outside his comfort zone and the prospect of losing Dell when he starts his own business lead to Philip firing him. In real life, the two parted ways after finding their respective partners, and no such argument occurred between them as it had in the film.

Abdel moved back to Algeria with his wife, and Philippe continued to live in Morocco. The two remain in close contact, and to this day, Abdel continues to make it a priority to take the long flight from Algeria to Morocco at least once a year, just to visit his friend and former boss. While it is nice to know that no conflict arose between the real-life friends, the movie needed that third-act friction to add some dramatic weight to the story and make the ending of The Upside more impactful.

The Upside

The Upside is a 2019 drama film directed by Neil Burger. It stars Bryan Cranston as a wealthy quadriplegic named Philip, who hires Dell, an ex-convict played by Kevin Hart, to be his caregiver. The film explores the unlikely friendship that develops between the two men as they help each other navigate their respective challenges. The Upside is based on the French film The Intouchables.

Director

Neil Burger

Release Date

January 11, 2019

Cast

Aja Naomi King , Genevieve Angelson , Michael Quinlan , Nicole Kidman , Tate Donovan , Golshifteh Farahani , Suzanne Savoy , Kevin Hart , Bryan Cranston , Jahi Di’Allo Winston , Julianna Margulies

Runtime

126 minutes