The Intouchables-2011

Director Olivier Nakache, Éric Toledano

Starring Francois Cluzet, Omar Sy

Scott’s Review #135

Reviewed July 26, 2014

Grade: C

The Intouchables (2011) is a French comedy-drama that tells the story of a wealthy, intelligent quadriplegic man named Philippe (Olivier Nakache), who hires a poor, angry black man named Driss (Omar Sy), who is uninterested in the position, as his caregiver.

The film is a story about their bond and friendship, and it’s a buddy movie.

What starts as simply an employer/employee relationship turns into something much deeper.

The Intouchables received rave reviews and was a huge hit in France, but for me, it disappoints, and I am not getting the love for this movie.

I found the message and theme of the story dated- yet another film about a wealthy, sophisticated white man taking a working-class, volatile black man under his wing and the black man helping him achieve some self-fulfillment.

The Blind Side (2009) and Driving Miss Daisy (1989) have done this before, along with countless other films.

Yes, they become close friends, but the stereotypical racial dynamic is prevalent. How many more times must modern film show this dynamic?

This is not to say that the film is poorly made. The relationship between the two men and the blend of their respective cultures is charming and, at times, heartwarming.

The way Driss helps Philippe find the courage to meet a woman he has been writing letters a is nice.

The views of Paris are lovely and plentiful.

But overall, The Intouchables (2011) comes across as a stereotypical, safe, predictable film.