Light, Sassy and Delectable: The Intouchables (2011)

In this and my next post, I’ll review a couple of interesting movies, available streaming and/or on DVD, that you might find worthwhile for an evening at home.  The Lunchbox (aka Dabba) is from India, The Intouchables  from France. Both are attempts at sweet, heartwarming comedy-drama. The Intouchables is brisker, heavier on the comedy, and thus more superficially entertaining.  Both feature terrific acting and a touching story about lonely, isolated (albeit very different) people; and both are likely to stay with you for a while.

 The Intouchables is about an extremely wealthy French aristocrat, a quadriplegic named Philippe (Francois Cluzet), and his relationship with the poor, black Senegalese immigrant street hustler called Driss (Omar Sy), that Philippe improbably hires as his caretaker, to the shock and chagrin of the rest of his staff, and his white society friends. What it’s really about is the importance of connection; and  how disabled folks, regardless of their station, are actual people with the same need to engage and enjoy life as the rest of us.

The picture is based on the true story of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo,, the son of a French duke,  and  the former director of the Pommery house of champagne (who was indeed paralyzed in a paragliding accident), and his decision to hire Abdel Sellou, an Algerian immigrant and career criminal as his caretaker, personal companion.  Philippe had interviewed scores of job applicants before Abdel came along. In fact, Abdel was only applying to fulfill a condition of his public assistance grant, that he look for work. But Philippe noticed something special, and hired Abdel, who must have been as surprised as anyone. It turned out to be a wise and fortuitous decision.

The two became fast fiends over the ten years that Abdel worked for Philippe. Why? As Philippe said in a recent interview, “He didn’t feel sorry for me – he was irreverent, cheeky and had an outrageous sense of humor. I suddenly found I was enjoying life again, feeling like I didn’t know what was coming next.” Philippe says that his friend did not offer pity or compassion, which he did not need or want, but rather consolation (help and respect) and joie de vivre.

All of this is shown beautifully and wittily in The Intouchables. The picture allows us the rare opportunity  to laugh at some of the situations faced by this wheelchair-bound protagonist; laughing with, not at him.  For some reason, the movie switches the nationality and ethnicity of the caretaker from Algerian Arab to Senegalese Black. Political motivations have been alleged, but the official version rings true for me: the filmmakers wanted Omar Sy, a very black French comedian, to play this character, and that choice dictated the change. Charges of racial stereotyping have also been hurled at this picture, and as an American white man, I confess there were a few cringe worthy  (but very funny) moments along the way.

But, because the acting is so superior and the story uplifting enough, you have my permission to ignore all that and just see the damn movie.  Francois Cluzet, who looks like a 70% Dustin Hoffman - 30% Robert DeNiro cross, is really marvelous as Philippe. Confined to a wheelchair, he has to flesh out this character – his fear, his bemusement, his repressed hopes and desires, his joy – exclusively from the neck up. He succeeds, believably. Omar Sy (Bishop in 2014’s X-Men: Days Of Future Past) is brilliant as Driss, in a big, over the top performance that won him a César (French Academy Award) for best actor, and a slew of other, well deserved prizes and kudos. He has that certain “It factor” that should make him a big star. He is also, it must be said, extremely pretty (some have preferred “gorgeous”).

            The Intouchables is available for streaming on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. In French with English subtitles (but please don’t let that deter you.)