The Upside

A LONELY teenager befriends a klutzy alien robot in a surprisingly charming Transformers spin-off. RACHEL Weisz battles for the affections of Olivia Colman’s Queen Anne in a madcap comedy drama.

ANDY’S RATING: ★★★ In cinemas on Friday

NOT many Hollywood remakes improve on the original, but this redo of the French flick Intouchables is a rare exception.

Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston add a touch of grit to a syrupy and racially dodgy story about an uptight, white quadriplegic who gets his groove back after hiring a black nurse.

A surprisingly restrained Hart is at his most likeable as Dell, an ex-con who is struggling to get his life back on track and connect with his estranged son.

When he accidentally wanders into an interview to be a nurse to millionaire Manhattan banker Phil (Cranston), his brusque manner fails to impress his assistant Yvonne (Nicole Kidman).

But grief-stricken Phil senses a way out of his dull existence. To Dell’s shock, he gets the job as his live-in carer.

It turns out a quick-tempered, pot-loving ex-con is what he requires to shake him out of his torpor. And Dell is forced to put someone else’s needs above his own.

The chemistry between Hart and Cranston keeps this cheesy buddy comedy ticking over.