"The Upside" by Abdel Sellou

   This is the true story of Abdel Sellou, a Muslim, born in Algeria in 1975. At age four, he was taken to Paris to be raised by an aunt and uncle, along with his brother. The sister stayed with her parents.

   Abdul began shoplifting as a child, was a fighter on the playground, continued a life of crime, and ended up in jail.
 When he got out of prison, he ended up with a job as caretaker for Philippe, a very wealthy quadriplegic.

  The cover of the book is from the movie, which I have seen.  Here are the real characters and the movie characters.

   This is the real Abdel Sellou, who wrote this book.

  

 This is Kevin Hart, the actor who played the role of Abdel.  

    

This is Bryan Cranston, the actor, who played the role of the wealthy paraphlegic.

   

  This is the real Philippe Pozzo Di Borgo, who wanted the comedic aspects of the story brought out, to make people laugh, rather than pity him.

  There were many comedic and touching moments as these two men from two very different worlds, came together.    Philippe came from a long line of aristocrats, had the best education and talked intelligently.  AND he had a great sense of humour.  He called Abdel "his guardian demon".  Abdel had come from a life of crime, but they developed a friendship that changed both of them.

  The movie does not finish the story, but the book tells that Abdel worked for Philippe for ten years, and now he lives back in Algeria with a wife and children, running a chicken farm.

  Philippe has married and lives in Morocco, and the two men still keep in touch.

  Check out this great photo.  Philippe had become a paraphelic because of a paragliding accident, but Abdel had him back in the sky. ( the real men on the left, the actors on the right).