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The Intouchables
I usually hate foreign films. Not all the time of course, just very often. I despise them. I hate having to read subtitles instead of being able to understand what they're saying without the need for them. So I was surprised to find myself actually enjoying The Intouchables; a 2011 French comedy about recently released working class man Dress (Omar Sy) who becomes rich man Philippe (Francois Culzet)'s personal assistant in order to claim a benefit.
Philippe was injured in a paragliding accident and is stuck to a wheelchair, unable to move his hands or feet. It is Dress's job to feed, shower and do anything else for him that requires the use of hands. The pair quickly become good friends. Not only is The Intouchables a great comedy but it is also a heartwalming, feel-good story about what it means to be a friend. If this comedy says anything, it's that you don't choose who your friends are; your friends may be in the most unlikely of places. What's even more impressive is that this was based on a true story, which helps the friendship to feel real and not forced. There are a lot of great comedic moments in this film such as Dress shaving Philippe's facial hair so he looks like Hitler and the whole live classical music VS. iPod tunes scene (brilliantly staged by director Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano) but equally this is a film that's as much about the drama as it is about the comedy. There are a few touching moments such as when Dress first takes Philippe out for some air and
. To say this is only a comedy film would be unfair. This is a comedy drama.
The film is helped a lot by the acting. French comedian Omar Sy is a brilliant casting choice as Dree: hilarious during the right moments and truthful during the more dramatic scenes. By far his most memorable scene is when Magalie (Audrey Fleurot) tricks Dree into stripping off. That scene is one of the funniest moments in the film and it's partly down to Omar's performance. Of course, with any good comedy partnership you need a great straight man and Francois Culzet is just that as Philipee. At first, he seems somewhat unlikeable but once you get to know the character you start to care and sympathise with him. First appearances can also be deceptive; on the outside he comes across like your typical rich man but what's inside is more interesting, as within the character of Philipee is a man who finds a lot of the luxurious lifestyle boring and prefers to speak what the rich would call 'more common' with phrases like 'I don't give a ****' (in response to a warning about Dress being a dangerous man that Philipee chooses to ignore), also claiming the household secretly find the annual violin music for his birthday party' boring' and 'pretend to be interested'. Philipee's performance is so good throughout that you hope he finally finds a new love interest after his late wife; indeed,
.
The soundtrack has to be one of the best for any film especially during the beginning. There's some great violin music and some fantastic tracks by band Earth, Wind and Fire called September and Boogie Wonderland. The violin music also introduces one of the best gags in the film where Dree recognises one of the music from an advert. That's what makes this film work so well despite the language barrier: gags anyone can relate to. Oliver and Eric know exactly how to make a French comedy universal; I would be interested to see what they would bring to a Hollywood film. Indeed, one of the stars Omar Sy was in Jurassic World so it's not impossible.
Overall, The Intouchables is a hilarious French Comedy Drama about a very real, very touching and very convincing friendship between the most unlikely of people. Even if you hate reading subtitles like me, it's well worth a watch and will more than likely leave you wanting to buy the Bluray.
I usually hate foreign films. Not all the time of course, just very often. I despise them. I hate having to read subtitles instead of being able to understand what they're saying without the need for them. So I was surprised to find myself actually enjoying The Intouchables; a 2011 French comedy about recently released working class man Dress (Omar Sy) who becomes rich man Philippe (Francois Culzet)'s personal assistant in order to claim a benefit.
Philippe was injured in a paragliding accident and is stuck to a wheelchair, unable to move his hands or feet. It is Dress's job to feed, shower and do anything else for him that requires the use of hands. The pair quickly become good friends. Not only is The Intouchables a great comedy but it is also a heartwalming, feel-good story about what it means to be a friend. If this comedy says anything, it's that you don't choose who your friends are; your friends may be in the most unlikely of places. What's even more impressive is that this was based on a true story, which helps the friendship to feel real and not forced. There are a lot of great comedic moments in this film such as Dress shaving Philippe's facial hair so he looks like Hitler and the whole live classical music VS. iPod tunes scene (brilliantly staged by director Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano) but equally this is a film that's as much about the drama as it is about the comedy. There are a few touching moments such as when Dress first takes Philippe out for some air and
The film is helped a lot by the acting. French comedian Omar Sy is a brilliant casting choice as Dree: hilarious during the right moments and truthful during the more dramatic scenes. By far his most memorable scene is when Magalie (Audrey Fleurot) tricks Dree into stripping off. That scene is one of the funniest moments in the film and it's partly down to Omar's performance. Of course, with any good comedy partnership you need a great straight man and Francois Culzet is just that as Philipee. At first, he seems somewhat unlikeable but once you get to know the character you start to care and sympathise with him. First appearances can also be deceptive; on the outside he comes across like your typical rich man but what's inside is more interesting, as within the character of Philipee is a man who finds a lot of the luxurious lifestyle boring and prefers to speak what the rich would call 'more common' with phrases like 'I don't give a ****' (in response to a warning about Dress being a dangerous man that Philipee chooses to ignore), also claiming the household secretly find the annual violin music for his birthday party' boring' and 'pretend to be interested'. Philipee's performance is so good throughout that you hope he finally finds a new love interest after his late wife; indeed,
WARNING: spoilers below
the ending hints that the woman who he has been exchanging letters with meets him in the restaurant for a date
The soundtrack has to be one of the best for any film especially during the beginning. There's some great violin music and some fantastic tracks by band Earth, Wind and Fire called September and Boogie Wonderland. The violin music also introduces one of the best gags in the film where Dree recognises one of the music from an advert. That's what makes this film work so well despite the language barrier: gags anyone can relate to. Oliver and Eric know exactly how to make a French comedy universal; I would be interested to see what they would bring to a Hollywood film. Indeed, one of the stars Omar Sy was in Jurassic World so it's not impossible.
Overall, The Intouchables is a hilarious French Comedy Drama about a very real, very touching and very convincing friendship between the most unlikely of people. Even if you hate reading subtitles like me, it's well worth a watch and will more than likely leave you wanting to buy the Bluray.