‘Upgraded’ (2024) Review – Camila Mendes Dazzles And Charms

Movies like Upgraded remind me why it’s refreshing that the “rom-com” has found a revival on streaming. Ever since Netflix hit it big with the Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell surprise smash streaming Set It Up, the genre has found an audience for a new generation. Now, only some are worth your time. Those are usually the ones that try to be something they are not.

However, Upgraded is a type of romantic comedy that offers small pleasantries of the genre film experience. The Camila Mendes vehicle offers a solid message for female empowerment: that you can have a career and love if you want to, and you don’t have to live in the shadow of your love interests.

Mendes (Riverdale, Do Revenge) stars as Ana, an ambitious and cutthroat intern desperate to make a good impression on her famous boss, Claire (Marisa Tomei). Ana is then invited to London for an exciting work trip, which she cancels for family reasons. On the plane, she receives an upgrade to first class and enjoys the fruits of her labor and a taste of the good life.

While sipping champagne, Ana meets a handsome stranger around her age, Will (Archie Renaux). There’s an immediate connection between them that they both cannot deny. The only problem is that Will incorrectly mistakes Ana for her boss, Claire. It is an obvious homage to Cinderella, except for the glass slipper and perhaps the roomier first-class seat.

Upgraded is under the direction of Carlson Young (The Blazing World), a young actress; this is her sophomore feature. She is working with a script from one too many people, including first-time screenwriter Christine Lenig and The Duel’s Luke Spencer Roberts and Justin Matthews. Young’s film can be a fun, fresh, and vibrant romantic comedy supported by a likable cast.

You may be pleasantly smitten with Mendes’s comic ability here and star wattage. She has a bite about her but can also play endearing, which is a must in light films where you are trying to escape the stresses of everyday life. Her turn offers that type of comfort food quality that movie stars are blessed with. While also incorporating a story about self-respect and knowing your value in life, personally and professionally.

If anything, some will judge Upgraded on the merits that it lacks originality. This is true, considering the homage to Cinderella and the same formulaic storytelling. Yet, if you need to judge the movie by its target audience, if you ride the coattails of Mendes, those fans will surely not be disappointed. And since a secondary storyline involving Ana’s ambition also works, it makes for an appealing and, at times, delightful surprise.

Make no mistake, Upgraded offers very little to elevate the genre, but that’s okay. The film provides a touch of pie-in-the-sky entertainment that’s a welcome addition to any genre fan. Upgraded may be a retread, but it’s a charming and vibrant addition to the genre buoyed by the immense charm of Camila Mendes.

Upgraded is currently available to stream on Prime Video. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3_dj7BnHp8]