Intouchables (2011)

Recently I visited the PAC festival, which is regularly organised by one of the biggest cinema chains in the Netherlands. It shows previews of quality movies that will be released in the coming months. One of the five movies that was shown was Intouchables. A French movie I hadn’t heard of before based on a true story.

Philippe (François Cluzet) is a rich quadriplegic man who is looking for a new assistant to help him with all his daily needs. Driss (Omar Sy) is a criminal from one of the bad neighbourhoods of Paris who is just out of jail and is applying for the job (knowing that he won’t get it because of his history) and just wants a signature to make sure he gets his social security payment. Philippe asks him to return the next day and decides to give him the job. These are two people from different backgrounds who can teach each other a lot about life.

Now it’s clear that this movie has been adapted from the real events as it adds a lot humour. Driss knows how to enjoy himself and doesn’t hold back in saying what is on his mind. He doesn’t treat Philippe like someone who can only move his head (sometimes even forgetting that fact) and does make fun of him. Philippe tries to show Driss things in life he never experienced.

François Cluzet and Omar Sy form a unique on screen duo who really have a spark between them and it’s exactly the reason this movie works so well. Sy manages to make Driss very likeable, but also believable and his interactions with Cluzet are movie gold. The story has heart, drama and comedy without ever going into predictable territory, which makes it feel so fresh. I was afraid that this movie would become predictable very soon, but it never did.

Now this is a movie I hope a lot of people will see as it deserves to be watched. I’m already pretty sure this will end up in my top 2012 list, so see it if you can.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34WIbmXkewU]