Up (2009)

2009 • TMDB 8.0 • 1h 36m • Animation, Comedy, Family, Adventure

Overview

Seventy-eight-year-old Carl Fredricksen has spent his life dreaming of Paradise Falls, the remote South American wonderland he and his late wife Ellie promised each other they would visit. But decades of quiet routine, a lost career, and a city that has grown up around his little house have left that dream gathering dust. When a court order threatens to move him into a retirement home, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his roof and lifts off at last — only to discover that Russell, an earnest eight-year-old Wilderness Explorer chasing his final merit badge, is clinging to the porch. Together, the gruff widower and the chatty scout drift toward Paradise Falls, where they meet Dug, a talking dog, the giant bird Kevin, and Carl’s childhood hero, explorer Charles Muntz, whose welcome hides a darker obsession. Pete Docter’s Pixar classic turns a wild balloon adventure into one of animation’s most moving meditations on grief, stubbornness, and second chances, proving that the greatest journeys often begin when you let someone new into your life.

Director & Cast

• Director: Pete Docter
• 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)
• Elie Docter as Young Ellie (voice)

Why Watch Up?

Up opens with one of the most celebrated sequences in animation: the wordless “Married Life” montage that follows Carl and Ellie from childhood sweethearts to old age in under ten minutes, earning tears before the adventure even begins. From there, the film balances laugh-out-loud humor — Dug’s talking collar, Russell’s boundless chatter — with genuine peril and surprising emotional depth, all wrapped in Michael Giacchino’s Oscar-winning score. It is a rare family film that speaks as directly to adults as to children, and it remains the gold standard for Pixar storytelling.

Official Trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWEW_qTLSEE

Where to Watch

In the US, Up streams on Disney+ in 4K, and it is available to rent from $3.99 and to buy from $9.99. Check current availability on JustWatch US.

More Like This

• Toy Story (1995)
• WALL·E (2008)
• The Lion King (1994)

Poster: TMDB. Rating and runtime verified on TMDB. Streaming status checked on JustWatch US, October 29, 2026.