Spoiler-Free Review of “Upgraded” on Prime: Camila Mendes is an Absolute Delight!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

This is what you wanted, right?”

Upgraded released on Prime on February 9th 2024. The romantic-comedy film stars Camila Mendes, Archie Renaux, Marisa Tomei, Lena Olin, and Anthony Head. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

A hard-working art intern is given the opportunity to travel to London to help her demanding boss when she meets a handsome stranger, which distracts her from her priorities.

Here is the trailer:

Upgraded successfully channels films like The Devil Wears Prada and Confessions of a Shopaholic, making this a charming treat for rom-com fans. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime

Cheers to Camila Mendes!

She’s an absolute dream in this film and she elevated it in a lot of ways. The Riverdale star definitely has a long career in front of her and I think she should continue to do films like this because she was likable and down-to-earth in her portrayal, making it very easy to root for her character.

The rest of the cast was great as well. I thought Marisa Tomei was hilarious (although her accent took a little getting used to) and I was so beyond excited to see Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum, Anthony Head in this! He was bloody fantastic!

Images courtesy of Prime

Believable chemistry.

I hate it when chemistry feels forced in films like this, but I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I fell in love with these two. I think what helped was that the main focus wasn’t on the new romance.

Rather, we learned more about Camila’s character as an individual and focused more on her challenges at work, which made the rest of the pieces fall together seamlessly. Adding in a charming romance was a bonus and while traditional rom-com fans may be looking for a little more in this department, it was the perfect amount for me.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime

Predictable at times…

I mean, but most rom-com films fall into some ounce of predictability so I can’t really fault it too much here. The film played it safe a lot, but I honestly couldn’t care less. I knew what I was getting when I started this film and it delivered and then some. Just don’t expect anything too shocking or unique here.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime

I’m in!!!

Upgraded is the artsy version of The Devil Wears Prada, delivering with super cute and charming moments worth indulging in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film and I think it found the perfect balance of self-discovery and romance.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Upgraded in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Stranger” on Netflix: A Complex Thriller Worthy of your next Binge-Watch

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“A secret revealed is a secret destroyed.”

The Stranger premiered on Netflix on January 31st 2020 with 8 episodes (40-45 minutes in length).  It stars Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, Anthony Head, Dervla Kirwan, and Hannah John-Kamen.

The show is based on the book of the same name by Harlan Coben.  It is a mystery thriller that follows the lives of several families, as secrets are exposed by a stranger, creating a vortex of lies, murder, and a quest to uncover the truth.

This is not the first crime thriller that Netflix has released, but it’s difficult to deliver some worthy twists without over-complicating things.

If you enjoy movies like The Call, The Girl on the Train, and Gone Girl, this new show will make you feel right at home, but does it do enough to stand out as a worthy thrill ride?  Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The Stranger Netflix 4
Images courtesy of Netflix

The mystery will keep you invested and guessing the entire time.

Adam Price basically has his entire life turned upside down when a stranger approaches him with a shattering secret about his wife.  As we begin to uncover the truth with Adam, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat, which makes the watch entertaining and fast-paced.  Unnecessary set-up does not get in the way, as we dive right into the mystery from the opening minutes of the series.

An amazing cast.

Richard Armitage does a fantastic job with his role, but I was also really impressed by Siobhan Finneran’s portrayal of Johanna Griffin.  Let’s not forget that we also have Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum, Anthony Head playing a supporting role to perfection.  The list goes on and on and every single performance was spot on.

The Cons:

The Stranger Netflix Show 1
Images courtesy of Netflix

Way too many sub-plots.

Yes, this is one of those shows where everything connects.  However, we certainly get a lot thrown our way and some of it seems beyond outrageous.  If you pay attention, a lot of the connections and reveals make sense later on, but some of them are actually never explained, so I’m wondering why we didn’t just focus on the main mystery, which was compelling enough.

It’s easy to get lost in this show and perhaps it is too complex for its own good, but there are enough reasons why you should still watch the show in its entirety anyway.

So am I in or out?

The Stranger Netflix Show 2
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!  While the show may be unnecessarily complex at times, it is the epitome of the perfect weekend binge-watch.  You can watch all eight episodes in one sitting and you will probably want to because each episode leaves you wanting more, as you try to figure out the mystery going on.

I tend to thoroughly enjoy mystery thrillers with a touch of Lifetime drama thrown in and this show exceeded my expectations.  While this isn’t the best show or thriller I have ever seen, it delivers as a quick and entertaining show you can watch while throwing in some unexpected twists and moments that will keep you guessing.

Keep these coming, Netflix!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Stranger in the comments section below.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

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