Upgraded (2024)
Movie · 2024 · Romance, Comedy · 1h 44m · R · English
Curator score: 1.5/10 (276.2K ratings)
Ana is an ambitious intern dreaming of a career in the art world while trying to impress her demanding boss Claire. When she's upgraded to first class on a work trip, she meets handsome Will, and Ana pretends to be her boss– a white lie that sets off a glamorous chain of events, romance and opportunity, until her fib threatens to surface.
Ratings:
- Curator score: 1.5/10
- IMDb: 6.1/10
- Letterboxd: 2.76/5
- Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
- Metacritic: 59
- TMDB: 7.2/10
Director: Carlson Young
Production: GulfStream Pictures, Tempo Productions, Luber-Roklin Entertainment, Future Artists Entertainment, Amazon Studios
Cast: Camila Mendes, Archie Renaux, Marisa Tomei, Lena Olin, Anthony Stewart Head, Thomas Kretschmann, Grégory Montel, Rachel Matthews, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Andrew Schulz, Aimee Carrero, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Matteo Lane, Juliet Agnes, Akshay Shah, Jack Hewitt, Renny Krupinski, Chloe Wade, Hugh Edmeades, Paul Hawkyard
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict: A glossy, lightweight rom-com with a strong fashion-and-fantasy sheen, Upgraded works best when it leans into wish-fulfillment, workplace satire, and the central chemistry. It’s easy to watch and often charming, but the story is familiar and the emotional stakes stay fairly thin.
Best for: fans of polished, aspirational rom-coms; viewers who like career-and-identity mix-ups; people in the mood for a breezy, low-stakes comedy; audiences who enjoy Cinderella-style modern makeovers
Skip if: you want a fresh or surprising rom-com structure; you need deep character development; you dislike contrived misunderstandings; you’re looking for a more grounded workplace story
Overview: Upgraded is a sleek, comfort-food rom-com built on fantasy, flirtation, and professional ambition. It has the kind of glossy first-class-to-fashion-world energy that makes the premise instantly legible, and it knows how to sell a makeover dream without pretending it’s anything more complicated than that.
Worth noting: The film’s biggest asset is its tone: light, brisk, and knowingly ridiculous in places. Camila Mendes carries the movie well, and the supporting cast helps give the story some sparkle, especially when the script shifts into social-climbing comedy and office power games.
Bottom line: What keeps it from being a stronger recommendation is familiarity. The beats are easy to predict, the satire is soft, and the romance doesn’t always feel as lived-in as the setup suggests. Still, if you want a polished, modern fairy-tale rom-com with style to spare, it delivers enough charm to justify the flight.
Top Letterboxd reviews:
- ndc32002: marisa tomei took one look at edna from incredibles and said THAT'S the character
- Marc: “What’s wrong with you?”
“So many things…”
- asolas: camila mendes i am reading your palm. in 20 years this movie will become a classic. i am a very legit psychic.
- devin: now everytime i lie im gonna say “no i was acting”
- rev: The devil wears prada meets cinderella meets what a girl wants
Recommended similar titles:
- The Devil Wears Prada (2006 · Drama, Comedy · 1h 49m · PG-13 · Curator 6.5/10 (3M ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus, Hulu, AMC+, AMC, Philo, Max)
Shares the fashion-world ambition, demanding boss dynamic, and aspirational workplace glamour.
- How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 56m · PG-13 · Curator 4.8/10 (2.3M ratings) · Where to watch: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential)
A polished mainstream rom-com with strong chemistry, big-city style, and playful deception.
- 13 Going on 30 (2004 · Comedy, Fantasy, Romance · 1h 38m · PG-13 · Curator 2.0/10 (254.5K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix)
Combines makeover fantasy, career wish fulfillment, and a buoyant romantic-comedy tone.
- Clueless (1995 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 37m · PG-13 · Curator 6.2/10 (2M ratings) · Where to watch: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Starz, Philo)
A glossy, character-driven comedy about image, status, and self-reinvention with enduring charm.
- The Proposal (2009 · Comedy, Romance, Drama · 1h 48m · PG-13 · Curator 3.0/10 (1.2M ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads)
Leans into fake-relationship comedy, workplace power dynamics, and star-driven rom-com energy.
- Legally Blonde (2001 · Comedy · 1h 36m · PG-13 · Curator 6.2/10 (1.8M ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads)
An upbeat reinvention story that turns ambition, style, and underestimated intelligence into crowd-pleasing comedy.
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018 · Comedy, Romance · 2h 1m · PG-13 · Curator 5.7/10 (1.1M ratings))
Offers luxury, romance, and social-climbing spectacle with a similarly aspirational sheen.
- Pretty Woman (1990 · Romance, Comedy · 2h · R · Curator 4.8/10 (1.5M ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads)
The classic modern fairy tale of class fantasy, transformation, and romantic wish fulfillment.
- Sabrina (1954 · Comedy, Romance, Drama · 1h 53m · NR · Curator 7.3/10 (209.1K ratings))
A foundational upscale makeover romance with elegance, aspiration, and social reinvention.
- Roman Holiday (1953 · Romance, Comedy, Drama · 1h 59m · G · Curator 9.1/10 (447.8K ratings) · Where to watch: fuboTV, Philo)
A charming romance about escaping routine and stepping into a glamorous, temporary fantasy.
- The Princess Diaries (2001 · Comedy, Family, Romance · 1h 55m · G · Curator 1.3/10 (185.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus)
Shares the makeover-and-confidence arc, with a playful sense of discovering a new self.
- A Simple Favor (2018 · Thriller, Comedy, Mystery · 1h 57m · R · Curator 3.5/10 (639.8K ratings))
For the fashion-forward style, social performance, and glossy surface with a sharper edge.
Topics: rom-com, workplace comedy, fashion, class divide, identity swap, wish fulfillment, lighthearted, glossy, modern fairy tale, career ambition
https://watchlist.tannermartz.com/apple/movie/upgraded/1014590
Upgraded (2024)
Movie · 2024 · Romance, Comedy · 1h 44m · R · English
Curator score: 1.5/10 (276.2K ratings)
Overview Ana is an ambitious intern dreaming of a career in the art world while trying to impress her demanding boss Claire. When she's upgraded to first class on a work trip, she meets handsome Will, and Ana pretends to be her boss– a white lie that sets off a glamorous chain of events, romance and opportunity, until her fib threatens to surface.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.5/10
IMDb: 6.1/10
Letterboxd: 2.76/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
Metacritic: 59
TMDB: 7.2/10
Production GulfStream Pictures, Tempo Productions, Luber-Roklin Entertainment, Future Artists Entertainment, Amazon Studios
Cast Camila Mendes, Archie Renaux, Marisa Tomei, Lena Olin, Anthony Stewart Head, Thomas Kretschmann, Grégory Montel, Rachel Matthews, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Andrew Schulz, Aimee Carrero, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Matteo Lane, Juliet Agnes, Akshay Shah, Jack Hewitt, Renny Krupinski, Chloe Wade, Hugh Edmeades, Paul Hawkyard
Where to watch Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, lightweight rom-com with a strong fashion-and-fantasy sheen, Upgraded works best when it leans into wish-fulfillment, workplace satire, and the central chemistry. It’s easy to watch and often charming, but the story is familiar and the emotional stakes stay fairly thin.
Best for
fans of polished, aspirational rom-coms
viewers who like career-and-identity mix-ups
people in the mood for a breezy, low-stakes comedy
audiences who enjoy Cinderella-style modern makeovers
Skip if
you want a fresh or surprising rom-com structure
you need deep character development
you dislike contrived misunderstandings
you’re looking for a more grounded workplace story
Overview
Upgraded is a sleek, comfort-food rom-com built on fantasy, flirtation, and professional ambition. It has the kind of glossy first-class-to-fashion-world energy that makes the premise instantly legible, and it knows how to sell a makeover dream without pretending it’s anything more complicated than that.
Worth noting
The film’s biggest asset is its tone: light, brisk, and knowingly ridiculous in places. Camila Mendes carries the movie well, and the supporting cast helps give the story some sparkle, especially when the script shifts into social-climbing comedy and office power games.
Bottom line
What keeps it from being a stronger recommendation is familiarity. The beats are easy to predict, the satire is soft, and the romance doesn’t always feel as lived-in as the setup suggests. Still, if you want a polished, modern fairy-tale rom-com with style to spare, it delivers enough charm to justify the flight.
Top Letterboxd reviews
ndc32002 (3★) · 5610 likes
marisa tomei took one look at edna from incredibles and said THAT'S the character
Marc (4.5★) · 4831 likes
“What’s wrong with you?”
“So many things…”
asolas (4.5★) · 3923 likes
camila mendes i am reading your palm. in 20 years this movie will become a classic. i am a very legit psychic.
devin (3★) · 3838 likes
now everytime i lie im gonna say “no i was acting”
rev (4★) · 2588 likes
The devil wears prada meets cinderella meets what a girl wants
Recommended similar titles
2006 · Drama, Comedy · 1h 49m · PG-13 · Curator 6.5/10 (3M ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus, Hulu, AMC+, AMC, Philo, Max
Shares the fashion-world ambition, demanding boss dynamic, and aspirational workplace glamour.
2003 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 56m · PG-13 · Curator 4.8/10 (2.3M ratings) · Where to watch: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
A polished mainstream rom-com with strong chemistry, big-city style, and playful deception.
2004 · Comedy, Fantasy, Romance · 1h 38m · PG-13 · Curator 2.0/10 (254.5K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix
Combines makeover fantasy, career wish fulfillment, and a buoyant romantic-comedy tone.
1995 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 37m · PG-13 · Curator 6.2/10 (2M ratings) · Where to watch: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Starz, Philo
A glossy, character-driven comedy about image, status, and self-reinvention with enduring charm.
2009 · Comedy, Romance, Drama · 1h 48m · PG-13 · Curator 3.0/10 (1.2M ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Leans into fake-relationship comedy, workplace power dynamics, and star-driven rom-com energy.
2001 · Comedy · 1h 36m · PG-13 · Curator 6.2/10 (1.8M ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
An upbeat reinvention story that turns ambition, style, and underestimated intelligence into crowd-pleasing comedy.
2018 · Comedy, Romance · 2h 1m · PG-13 · Curator 5.7/10 (1.1M ratings)
Offers luxury, romance, and social-climbing spectacle with a similarly aspirational sheen.
1990 · Romance, Comedy · 2h · R · Curator 4.8/10 (1.5M ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
The classic modern fairy tale of class fantasy, transformation, and romantic wish fulfillment.
1954 · Comedy, Romance, Drama · 1h 53m · NR · Curator 7.3/10 (209.1K ratings)
A foundational upscale makeover romance with elegance, aspiration, and social reinvention.
1953 · Romance, Comedy, Drama · 1h 59m · G · Curator 9.1/10 (447.8K ratings) · Where to watch: fuboTV, Philo
A charming romance about escaping routine and stepping into a glamorous, temporary fantasy.
2001 · Comedy, Family, Romance · 1h 55m · G · Curator 1.3/10 (185.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus
Shares the makeover-and-confidence arc, with a playful sense of discovering a new self.
2018 · Thriller, Comedy, Mystery · 1h 57m · R · Curator 3.5/10 (639.8K ratings)
For the fashion-forward style, social performance, and glossy surface with a sharper edge.
Topics
rom-com, workplace comedy, fashion, class divide, identity swap, wish fulfillment, lighthearted, glossy, modern fairy tale, career ambition
Open Upgraded (2024) on Curator TV