REVIEW: Camila Mendes Makes Rom-Coms Look Good in ‘Upgraded’
Prime Video is gearing up for Valentine’s Day with its new romantic comedy, Upgraded. Art gallery intern, Ana (Camila Mendes) has one goal in life, and that is to own her own art gallery. However, in order to do just that, Ana must make a name for herself in industry where making a name for yourself can take as long as watching paint dry. When the chance to go to London to help esteemed art broker, Claire (Marisa Tomei) with a brokering deal, Ana will do anything to make sure she makes an impression on the broker. However, Claire’s assistants, Suzette (Rachel Matthews) and Renee (Fola Evans-Akingbola) will do whatever it takes to ensure Ana doesn’t have the chance; starting with seating her in the last row on the airplane. As Ana makes her way to London, she is miraculously upgraded from coach to first class, where she meets the dashing William (Archie Reneaux). When William mistakes her as a big deal art broker, Ana plays along thinking she is never going to see this man again. However, all is not as it seems and Ana will find herself attempting to keep up the charade in hopes of making it out of London with her job and the man of her dreams.
What surprised me the most about this movie is how much I enjoyed Ana’s job storyline compared to her romance storyline. Watching Ana attempt to pull off being a big deal art broker, as she wined and dined with London’s finest while also running around doing meaningless tasks assigned by Suzette and Renee was great. Though I didn’t 100% agree with the twist at the end, I thought the writing team did a fantastic job handling this part of Ana’s story. When it came to romance, I didn’t think this was as well thought out. There just wasn’t enough build for me. Mendes and Renaux have great chemistry, but it wasn’t utilized to its fullest potential. Rather than build their relationship, which also would have added more fuel to the lie, the romance felt more like a filler rather than a major plot piece.
Mendes stars as our lead and is great in her first romantic comedy role. This is a genre she should never step away from. Within minutes of watching the movie, you will have no problem understanding why so many of the characters are captivated by Ana. Mendes exudes charm and a likeability not easily conveyed on screen. Renaux plays Mendes’ love interest, William and is just as charming, but wasn’t given enough. His character felt like a minor character in Ana’s story rather than the major player he should have been. It’s a shame because Renaux, like Mendes, is so charming and could have easily added another layer to this movie. Marisa Tomei played Ana’s boss, Claire and I didn’t particularly love her in this role. It may have been because of the accident, but I didn’t think the character was well thought out. It was as if they couldn’t decide if Claire was to be an adversary to Ana or an ally. Rachel Matthews and Fola Evans-Akingbola played Claire’s lackeys, Suzette and Renee, and were wonderful, especially Matthew as Suzette. Her and Mendes back and forth was great to watch and something I wish had been explored a little bit more.
If you are looking for a fun movie to relax to this weekend, I recommend checking out Upgraded. It’s an enjoyable rom-com that will make you want to see more rom-coms in Mendes’ future.
Grade: B