It’s that wonderful time of year again, Valentine’s Day! And the moneymakers have turned it into a cottage industry, selling heart shaped antacids, various roses, intense greeting cards, etc. Movie watchers can expect romantic comedies aplenty in theaters and on streamers. Upgraded plays it pretty much down the middle with enough little changes perfect for a Dine and Prime, after the Super Lovers Deluxe Dinner for Dos at your local Chilis: 2 apps for $14.
Ana (Camila Mendes) certainly isn’t where she wants to be in her life. Trapped in a dinky rent controlled NYC apartment with her sister Vivian (Aimee Carrero) and her husband Ronnie (Andrew Schulz), Ana dreams of opening an art gallery of her own alongside fellow intern Amy (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) while struggling to get the attention of the best art dealer on the planet, Claire (Marisa Tomei). Fate throws Ana a lifeline at the airport. As the intern for the older interns Renee (Fola Evans-Akingbola) and Suzette (Rachel Matthews), the airline attendant takes pity on her and upgrades Ana to first class. There, she literally bumps into the hunky posh British William (Archie Renaux), who introduces Ana to his well connected mom Catherine (Lena Olin) and a taste of the life Ana wants to have.
The romcom recipe is mostly there in Upgraded. Camila Mendes remains horrendously underutilized in Hollywood. She’s a great leading woman, carrying many scenes with that tremendous drive and presence she has. The supporting players are all game here, too. Marisa Tomei is having a blast with her vague European OCD character, shaving and chatting and scaring her interns at the same time. Lena Olin oozes British charm, and has a blast with the affably thespiany Anthony Head. Rachel Matthews is a solid B version of Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada, and I would enjoy 10-15 more minutes inside Saoirse-Monica Jackson’s NYC life. Archie Renaux is very suave, but he’s mostly just eye candy in this one with some mild delights coaching kids football in the UK.
While most couples will delight in Ana and William’s courtship across very pretty London parks and parties, it’s the modern smoothing that Upgraded this standard romcom setup. William is only involved in the plot at all because people expect a romcom; the main thrust of the story is Ana and her pursuit of the life she wants. Ana’s surrounded by women in power, earning those spots through their hard work, magnetism, and excellence. For every competitor like Renee or Suzette, Ana is surrounded by positive female influences, someone like Amy for support, Claire as a guiding light for standard of excellence, and Catherine for a little fun and taste of excitement in her boring life. Even Renee and Suzette unite in their understanding for the best, and any time male hangers on try to leech their way to the top, the goal at the end of the day for all of these women is the best person should do the work, and it’s usually one of them because they earned it.
So watch Upgraded if you want to enjoy the celebration of the modern woman. Or watch it cause Camila Mendes looks incredible in black gown evening wear with a hunky British Boy on her arm. There’s a little something for everyone here, on a low stakes delight of a streamer. And Hollywood, learn Upgraded’s message here and give Camila Mendes more stuff to do please? She rocks.