It's an impressive feat when a
foreign film can make me laugh and cry, particularly when it happens
simultaneously. The Intouchables may
be a French film, but the story actually manages to rise above any language
barrier in such a way that the emotion is conveyed clearly through the
dialogue, despite the subtitles. The comedy is still hysterical; the serious
parts are still heart-wrenching. And the way the writer/directors combine those
two aspects together makes this a must-see film.
The central focus of the film
is on the relationship between Sy's character, Driss, and Cluzet's Paul. Sy
plays the failed robber in search of his unemployment handout. Paul is a rich
quadriplegic in need of a new caretaker. The two meet after Driss comes to the
interview to receive a signature for further welfare benefits, and his honesty
and straightforwardness convinces Paul to hire him on a trial basis. Their
relationship starts off rocky, with Driss not fully understanding the care a
quadriplegic requires and Paul refusing to back down. Their friendship becomes
much more friendly as the film progresses.
A testament to the
writer/directors Nakache and Toledano, the film doesn't stagnant on some
montage of Driss and Paul bonding; it moves forward to make its point. At its core,
The Intouchables seems to center on
the principle that money can't buy respect, true friendship, or love.
The film is touching in its
honesty. Nothing is contrived, and the balance of comedy and levity is truly amazing.
A scene towards the end of the film in which Driss shaves a heavily bearded
Paul is both absolutely hysterical and a representation of a relationship that
transcends the traditional caregiver/patient dynamic without being trite or
sappy.
