French cinema is having something of a renaissance, with films sweeping across the channel attracting a global audience. Les Intouchables raises the bar even higher, breaking box-office records set by previous smashes such as ‘Amelie’ and ‘The Chorus’. A laugh-out-loud comedy, and a touching, original story, watch it before Hollywood gets their hands on the rights.
Language: French
Running Time: 112 minutes
Director: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Starring: François Cluzet, Omar Sy
Genre: Comedy Drama
Rating: 4 stars
Philippe and Driss. Photo courtesy of Uni France Films.
The Film
Philippe (Cluzet), is a multi-millionaire Parisian with a short temper and a love of classical music and pretentious art. He is also a quadriplegic, confined to a state-of-the-art wheelchair. Driss (Sy), is a French-African born into the slums of Paris, where drugs and violence are a way of life. They form an unlikely partnership when Driss turns up at a job interview with Philippe just so he can get his social security benefit, and ends up with a job as Philippe’s carer. Philippe’s dull, clinical world is flung into disarray as Driss delights in driving his supercars, flirting with Philippe’s assistant and disbelievingly pouring hot water onto his boss’ unfeeling legs. Life without Driss is soon unthinkable, but are their worlds simply too different for the fun to last?
The Review:
I knew this film was something special when it had my mum and brother gripped – I can’t usually get them to sit through an entire foreign-language film! From the first flash-forward scence, which sets up an extraordinary scenario that takes the rest of the film to unpick, to the moments of laugh-out-loud humour, this is a compassionate, fresh and funny film. While there may be some broad assumptions made of life on either side of the tracks, this is based on a true story and the authenticity shines throughout. Beautifully told and uplifting, Les Intouchables crosses social boundaries to offer a deeply human story.
Wanderlust Rating: 3 stars
It’s not a film aimed to provoke wanderlust, but with glamorous Parisian apartments, opera houses and a trip to the windswept beaches of Dunkirk to inspire you, France will once again be at the top of your bucket list.
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