---
title: "Up"
year: 2009
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/up"
fi1m_id: "up"
imdb_id: "tt1049413"
tmdb_id: 14160
wikidata_id: "Q174811"
fi1m_score: 88
critics_score: 89
critics_reviews: 17
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:31.941675+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Up (2009)

Directed by Pete Docter · 1h 36m · MPA PG · Animation, Comedy, Family, Adventure

## Identity

Up

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/up
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** up
- **IMDb ID:** tt1049413
- **TMDB ID:** 14160
- **Wikidata ID:** Q174811
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1049413/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/14160, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q174811

**Fi1m score: 88** · Critics 89 from 17 reviews

*In a sentence:* We came for the balloons and were ambushed by a perfectly ordinary marriage

> Pete Docter’s *Up* is a funny, moving family adventure whose near-silent portrait of married life is hard to match. The chases cannot quite sustain that early promise, but we care about Carl and Russell throughout.

## Synopsis

Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) is an elderly widower whose life has left him with unfulfilled dreams. His story begins with an account of married life, following the hopes and disappointments that shape the man he becomes. A balloon-powered journey pairs Carl with Russell (Jordan Nagai), a boy scout and an unlikely companion for someone with little patience for company. As the pair travel together, a friendship begins to form. Pete Docter directs this animated family adventure, with Christopher Plummer and Bob Peterson also among the voice cast.

## Review

*Up* is a fine family adventure, with an opening account of married life so affecting that the later excitement sometimes feels like a less interesting use of our time. Director Pete Docter takes an elderly widower seriously as a hero, allowing his disappointments to matter before asking us to enjoy his balloon-powered expedition. That gives Carl Fredricksen a reason to be gruff beyond the usual comic usefulness of a cross old man. We care what happens to him before the adventure gets going.

The near-silent passage tracing Carl’s marriage deserves the attention it gets. Editors Katherine Ringgold and Kevin Nolting compress a shared lifetime without reducing it to a list of occasions, leaving room for the disappointment of dreams deferred. We were moved more than we expected by how much of that life is spent hoping for things that do not happen. Michael Giacchino’s score helps us follow the changing mood without dialogue to explain it, and the sequence trusts us to recognise the affection that persists through disappointment.

The film then has to find something for Carl to do, and pairing him with a boy scout is a sensible start. Ed Asner gives Carl a gruffness that sounds habitual rather than performed for a laugh, while Jordan Nagai’s Russell makes the unlikely friendship easy to believe. Their scenes together are funny without making either character seem foolish for needing company. Docter and fellow screenwriter Bob Peterson are at their most persuasive when they let that companionship develop without insisting on a lesson.

Ricky Nierva’s production design gives the balloon-powered adventure a cheerful appearance that Carl himself does little to encourage. Patrick Lin and Jean-Claude Kalache, credited with cinematography, favour vivid colour and a painterly finish over a sombre look to match the subject of loss. That is the right decision for a comedy, and it makes the opening’s sadness more surprising. Carl remains a convincing old man in surroundings made for a family adventure.

The adventure is less consistent. The chases have comic invention, but they do not always give Carl and Russell’s friendship enough to do; we occasionally found ourselves waiting for the next quiet exchange. Ringgold and Nolting keep the action moving, though their brisk pace cannot entirely disguise passages in which the story wanders. Docter and Peterson could have trusted a little more of the film to its characters, since being in their company is already a pleasure.

The choice of an elderly hero gives *Up* an unusual place in family animation. Carl has had time to try things and be disappointed, and a family film that takes that seriously is worth an evening. The U certificate is fair, but the near-silent account of married life may upset adults more than children. Give it the full 96 minutes, with a little patience for the busier stretches.

*Fi1m score 88, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are consistently positive, with praise clustering around the near-silent opening montage of a shared life. Critics admire its compression of love, disappointment and passing time, and the emotional weight it gives the adventure that follows. The animation’s colour and detail also draw approval, alongside the humour, believable characters and unusual focus on an elderly hero. Most critics find that Up makes room for adult sadness without losing the fun of a family adventure.

The differences concern how well the rest of the film sustains that opening. Empire finds that it falls slightly short of the early promise, while Eye for Film identifies meandering passages and occasional mawkishness, though it still values the handling of age and loss. Variety, by contrast, sees the adventure becoming funnier and more exciting as it proceeds. The spread is chiefly one of enthusiasm rather than fundamental disagreement.

## Straight answers

**Is Up worth watching?**

*Up* is worth watching for anyone who wants a funny family adventure with a heart, and we scored it 88. Its near-silent account of Carl Fredricksen's marriage is the finest thing in it, and the later chases cannot quite match it, so expect the second half to be busier and slightly less interesting than the first.

**How long is Up, and what is it rated?**

*Up* runs 1h 36m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is an animation and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Up in the US?**

*Up* is streaming on Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Up compare to The Straight Story?**

*Up* and [*The Straight Story*](https://film.one/film/the-straight-story) both follow an elderly man on a journey and take the life behind it seriously, but one is a cheerful animated comedy and the other a patient live-action road film. We think the earlier film is the quieter and more consistent of the two, while *Up* is the one to watch with children.

**What should I watch after Up?**

After *Up*, try [*The Straight Story*](https://film.one/film/the-straight-story) (1999, Fi1m 88): Another elderly traveller, with patience for the life behind the journey. Then [*My Life as a Courgette*](https://film.one/film/my-life-as-a-zucchini) (2016, Fi1m 84): Animation that lets children grieve, misbehave and find companionship without easy consolation; and [*Tokyo Story*](https://film.one/film/tokyo-story) (1953, Fi1m 92): For adults drawn to its attention to ageing and ordinary family disappointment.

### Reviews we read (18)

- **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (5/5): The film is hailed as a Pixar masterwork that is funny, thrilling, startling and moving by turns. The near-silent prelude charting a married life is singled out as wonderfully poignant, with the story balancing adult emotion and kid-friendly adventure. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-zm5iby/up/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The critic calls it a wonderful film and another masterwork from Pixar, praising its believable characters including cranky old men as heroes and a poetic wordless sequence depicting a lifelong romance. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/up-2009)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (4/4): The critic deems it a blissfully profound work, Pixar’s finest since Monsters, Inc., that explores human relationships, disappointment, and hope through visual poetry and emotional risk. They single out the near-silent opening montage for its sentimental yet bittersweet evocation of a lifelong love affair and deferred dreams. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/up/)
- **Empire**, Ian Freer (90/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's poetic opening love story and its blend of emotional depth with adventurous thrills, comparing it favorably to classic cinema while noting it falls slightly short of its opening's promise but remains the best animated film of 2009. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/movie-2-review/)
- **Screen Daily** (90/100, inferred): Up is called a marvel of storytelling and 3D imagery that will enchant audiences worldwide and endure as a family favourite. The rich emotional content, painterly visuals and strong connection to viewers are highlighted as making it a highpoint of the Pixar canon. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/up/5001012.article)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it one of Pixar's best, praising the touching, funny story of a curmudgeonly widower and a boy scout on a balloon-powered adventure filled with inventive chases. The memorable characters and themes of fulfillment and nature stand out. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/11/up-disney-pixar-film-review)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Michael Rechtshaffen (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it winsome, touching, and arguably the funniest Pixar effort ever, a gorgeously rendered high-flying adventure that distills the studio's signature touches. They single out the nongimmicky incorporation of 3-D and the film's fond homage to cinema's past. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/up-review-2009-pixar-movie-93132/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (90/100, inferred): The review praises the film's creative flight and flawlessly realized love story, highlighting the wordless montage compressing the couple's life together as filmmaking at its purest. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/movies/29up.html)
- **Financial Times** (85/100, inferred): The review highlights the film's conquest of time through an exquisite early montage of the protagonist's life and its quiet, imaginative triumphs in storytelling and emotion. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/a840b986-b352-11de-ae8d-00144feab49a)
- **The New Yorker**, David Denby (80/100, inferred): The critic notes the film's affectionate tribute to daydreaming and adventure, commending the wordless montage of the couple's life and its graceful handling of hopes and disappointments. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/06/08/the-wanderers-2)
- **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (4/5): The critic praises Pixar for reaffirming its status as a leader in animation that blends real-world ideas with fantasy and fun. The melancholy, wordless prologue tracing the hero's life from boyhood to old age stands out for its emotional power. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/up)
- **Variety**, Todd McCarthy: The review finds it a captivating odd-couple adventure that becomes funnier and more exciting, praising its narrative imagination, surprise, and poignant balance of dreams deferred and fulfilled. [Read](https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/up-4-1200507136/)
- **Den of Geek**, Ron Hogan (5/5): Pixar delivers a sweet, sentimental and moving family film with real heart that tops even Wall-E. The critic singles out the film's emotional opening sequence and balance of laughs with genuine feeling. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/pixars-up-review/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A): The critic praises the powerful opening sequence that nearly brings viewers to tears without dialogue, and the film's adventurous storytelling, visual details, score, and avoidance of cheap jokes. [Read](https://collider.com/up-review/)
- **/Film**, David Chen (9/10): The critic calls Up thoroughly enjoyable with masterful storytelling in its opening montage that pulls on heartstrings. The main praise is for the emotional depth, visuals, and performances, especially the unlikely friendship at its core. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/503936/movie-review-up-the-greatest-adventure/)
- **Digital Spy**, Simon Reynolds (80/100, inferred): Up is an uplifting and inspiring Pixar adventure that mixes sadness and joy with patented charm and a wonderfully adventurous heart. The critic singles out the emotional introductory montage and the buoyant, life-affirming story. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a176244/up/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Andreas Nicolaou (4/5): The critic praises the film as a beautifully tender and mature visual feast enhanced by 3D, packed with laugh-out-loud humour and heartfelt moments. The main praise goes to the stunning animation and genuine adventure elements. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/finally-disneypixars-up-reaches-the-uk-a-uk-review-to-celebrate/)
- **Eye for Film**, Anton Bitel (75/100, inferred): The critic finds Up meandering and somewhat mawkish at times but notes its vivid colours conceal shaded nuance and emotional weight. Praise centres on the affecting opening montage and the unusual focus on old age and loss. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/up-3d-film-review-by-anton-bitel)

## Details

- **Director:** Pete Docter
- **Director:** Pete Docter
- **Screenplay:** Bob Peterson, Pete Docter
- **Story:** Pete Docter, Tom McCarthy, Bob Peterson
- **Cinematography:** Jean-Claude Kalache, Patrick Lin
- **Editor:** Kevin Nolting, Katherine Ringgold
- **Music:** Michael Giacchino
- **Production design:** Ricky Nierva
- **Producer:** Jonas Rivera
- **Cast:** Ed Asner as Carl Fredricksen (voice); Christopher Plummer as Charles Muntz (voice); Jordan Nagai as Russell (voice); Bob Peterson as Dug / Alpha (voice); Delroy Lindo as Beta (voice); Jerome Ranft as Gamma (voice); John Ratzenberger as Construction Foreman Tom (voice); David Kaye as Newsreel Announcer (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 36m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG
- **Release (the US):** 29 May 2009
- **Genres:** Animation, Comedy, Family, Adventure
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2009)
- **Budget:** $175 million
- **Box office:** $735 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajcdb4FAL7A

## Where to watch in the US

- Disney+: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd
- Apple TV: rent $5.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2010: Best Picture (nominated); Best Sound Editing (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Animated Feature (won); Best Original Score (won)
- BAFTA Film Awards 2010: BAFTA's Children & Young People Award - Feature Film (won)
- Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie 2010: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie (won)
- Nastro d'Argento for Best 3D Film 2010: Nastro d'Argento for Best 3D Film (nominated)
- Annie Award for Best Animated Feature 2009: Annie Award for Best Animated Feature (won)
- Critics' Choice Awards 2009: Best Animated Feature (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Straight Story* (1999), Fi1m 88: Another elderly traveller, with patience for the life behind the journey. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-straight-story.md)
- *The Red Balloon* (1956): A child’s attachment to a balloon makes a small adventure worth caring about.
- *My Life as a Courgette* (2016), Fi1m 84: Animation that lets children grieve, misbehave and find companionship without easy consolation. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-life-as-a-zucchini.md)
- *Tokyo Story* (1953), Fi1m 92: For adults drawn to its attention to ageing and ordinary family disappointment. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/tokyo-story.md)
- *Ernest & Celestine* (2012), Fi1m 84: An unlikely friendship, painterly animation and a welcome tolerance for awkward company. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/up