Camila Mendes' 2024 Romcom Only Needed 20 Days to Blow Up Prime's Top

Summary:

• Upgraded, a new romantic comedy directed by Carlson Young, premiered on Prime Video on February 9.
• On March 1, Upgraded is the most popular movie on the platform with more views than both its closest contestants combined.
• Upgraded has positive reviews from Rotten Tomatoes’s top critics and a solid 78% score, which is rare for a rom-com.

Rom-coms have never been out of fashion, and Prime Video’s latest addition proves it once again. This newly-released romantic comedy directed by Carlson Young, is absolutely dominating Prime Video now by being three times as popular among viewers as its second closest contestant. What is it and what’s it about?

Upgraded Is a New White Lie Rom-Com

Upgraded follows Ana, an ambitious young woman trying to make an art career. She’s only recently been promoted to her strict boss’s assistant’s assistant and is excited to fly to London with those higher in the ranks than her. However, the other assistants don’t take a liking to her and sabotage their newly-fledged colleague.

After they book a much later economy-class flight for Ana, setting her up before the boss, the kind check-in lady upgrades Ana to the first-class lounge to ease her waiting.

That’s where the unfortunate assistant’s assistant meets the charming William who takes Ana for her boss — and she doesn’t have the heart to tell him the truth, enchanted by his attention. But how long can she hide her real self for?

Upgraded Has Taken Ratings by Storm

Released on Prime Video on February 9, today Upgraded is the streaming platform’s most popular movie. According to FlixPatrol, Carlson Young’s romantic comedy has far surpassed This Is Me…Now: A Love Story and The Greatest Love Story Never Told, its closest competitors, having more views than both of them, combined.

Critics also took a liking to Upgraded, which reflected in both its 78% Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score and its reviews. Most agree that for a rom-com, a genre that’s generally not demanding because not much is expected from it in the first place, Upgraded proved to have surprising depth that didn’t hamper its sweetness.

“Heartening themes involving holding on tight to one’s dreams and not devaluing one’s self-worth make for an encouraging upgrade from the norm. It’s even better since there are capable filmmakers piloting this transformative journey,” Variety’s Courtney Howard wrote, calling Upgraded a “first-class rom-com.”

If you’re willing to put this claim to test, you can watch Upgraded exclusively on Prime Video — for now, at least.

Sources: FlixPatrol, Variety