A wealthy quadriplegic man around his mid fifties hires a young man from a poor part of Paris to be his full time nurse in order to see how long he would last. The plot would fit either a full out character drama and/or a study of the differences between the upper and lower classes and how they get on. Based on a true story. Contrary to what one might expect, Les Intouchables, written and directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, is one of the most feel good films of recent years. Surprised? So was I.

As the ‘Secret Premiere’, a product of the team up between the Athens International Film Festival with Danaos cinema is slowly turning into a much anticipated monthly habit, Les Intouchables came at the right time to establish it as the ultimate antidote to the AIFF’s withdrawal syndrome and the best way to keep us on our toes until next September, as it was the best of the surprises the event has given us so far. The Intouchables is fresh, fun and incredibly touching film which talks about how strong a bond two people can really forge under extremely strange circumstances.

The script has every element needed to become an international hit: Two people who would never get so close under normal circumstances, the older man whose troubles have made him reclusive and miserable and the younger man who craves to enjoy life but needs to grow up just a tad. Put these two people together and you’re bound to have the journey of two characters which both benefit from their interaction, discover new ways to experience life and new potential as well as remember the joy of what is to be young, carefree and have a friend that will be there for the good and the bad. This is essentially a buddy movie, but a very special one since it treats its characters with a great deal of respect as well as sarcasm. Some of the jokes you would never get to see on most recent Hollywood comedies because they would be deemed politically incorrect. At the same time, these funny moments offer more than just laughs for the sake of them, as some of the more crude Hollywood comedies do, as they stem from the bond between the two characters and their chemistry, as well as their personal stories. However, the film definitely takes after Hollywood in the sense that follows the buddy movie rules to a tee. The Intouchables goes a bit old-school on the genre and keeps it a plain comedy. From the theme of loyalty and trust between the two (almost always) male protagonists to the use of female roles as subplots and plot devices, and the bets and slight antagonising of the protagonists, The Intouchables evokes some of the most classic tropes of the Hollywood buddy film and manages to be an incredibly sensitive film at the same time.

As it happens with any true buddy film, in order to work, the film depends heavily on the two protagonists and, on a second level, on the plot. The plot is the excuse for the comedy to unfold. The main characters have to have a reason to come together but, most importantly, a reason to stay together despite various adversities that they will encounter along the way. The reason given by The Intouchables is the millionaire’s need for help, on a practical level, and the young man’s need of money. As the film progresses, the two men start to form a bond which gets stronger. The two men are so different from one another and that’s precisely what keeps them together, as they can learn from each other and grow as people. This is a celebration of friendship in all its glory, a friendship unlikely to form and, once formed, impossible to break. And the reason why the film works so well and goes beyond the average buddy film is that the bond between the two is a meaningful one, as they help each other out really start their lives over. These are two people who need a second chance and, as it turns out, they are to each other exactly that. This is not the type of film in which the friendship between the protagonists is taken for granted or turned into a scene in the film to force an emotional response by the audience. Instead, the relationship is allowed its time to grow and effortlessly move the audience.

In order to communicate that special bond between the characters, the two actors have to have the right chemistry between them as well as be capable comedians. And both François Cluzet and Omar Sy are right on the money with their performances. Cluzet’s approach to his character is incredibly nuanced, as he is able to fine tune his expressions, stare, tone and even pitch of his voice just slightly and convey the subtlest of changes in his character’s mood and disposition. I have to admit that the one who steals the show is Sy. Sy is loud and creates an, almost, larger than life character you love to watch as he makes fun of everything ‘proper’. His character is carefree, speaks his mind without thinking twice and Sy’s timing and facial expressions keep the pace up and the laughs coming. Even though the jokes are a bit repetitive and become predictable after a while, Sy’s enthusiasm, playfulness and the way with which he’s able to portray this character who, unbeknown to him, is able to make fun of pretentiousness and highbrow culture as the only token of intelligence, education and civilization.

The most interesting aspect of Sy’s character, Driss, is, perhaps, the fact that he’s not Phillipe’s, Cluzet’s character, sidekick. Historically, when buddy films revolve around a biracial pair, the black protagonist is the white man’s sidekick, there to aid and support him. And, while technically he is there to help him and he’s the one Phillipe depends on in order to start his life over, Driss is the main star of the two, I would argue. Whether it is the fact that he’s the younger of the two or that he is the first one we meet, there is the feeling that it is with him we should identify more. The viewers spend time with Driss alone, while they don’t do as much with Phillipe and we get to see Driss’ background as well. For a buddy film which goes down the classic road of the genre, this is an important deviation and a welcomed one, as black men in such films usually tend to be cut out from the rest of their surroundings, existing only in the white man’s world. The Intouchables addressed that as it dramatizes the tension between Driss’ need to break away from his family but also care for them. Funnily enough, the film has been criticized for portraying Driss stereotypically, as an ignorant savage, but I would argue that while the film’s characters can be a bit formulaic at times, the overall sense is that Driss has it much better than Phillipe -and not because he can walk. The fact that the film is based on a true story offers a different perspective as well. For example, it might be stereotypical that Driss only listens to Earth, Wind and Fire but the person the character is based on could very well listen to music associated with his own culture. In any case, both scenes featuring that type of music are a celebration of that culture with no sign of , even concealed, snobbery of it, as far as I’m concerned.

Harvey Weinstein has bought the film’s rights to make a US remake of the film, exactly because it would fit American audiences extremely well. And that’s why he bought the films distributing rights to the US as well. I would suggest that he would just stick to the latter ones and give the chance to American audiences to see the original and perhaps do a remake with female characters, because Hollywood lacks in female buddy films compared to the ones starring men. In any case, the film is worth watching if not for any other reason, then just for its opening scene, a sequence, scored with great impact by Earth, Wind and Fire’s ‘September‘, that exudes such joy and sense of freedom only the strongest of friendships can inspire and only the luckiest of us can say they have experienced. I bet you guessed I’m a sucker for tales about friendships between people who take each other for what they are and help each other out no matter what.

Read also:

Les Intouchables at IMDb

Les Intouchables at Rotten Tomatoes

Les Intouchables at Wikipedia

Les Intouchables (awards won and nominated for) at IMDb

Weinstein Company Acquires US Remake Rights To French Buddy Comedy “Les Intouchables” at IndiWire



Intouchables [FR IMPORT] French only [DVD]

Intouchables (soundtrack) [CD]

