The Intouchables

A beautiful story of friendship is how best I can describe this movie. Adapted from a true story, Philipe, (François Cluzet), a rich quadriplegic and Driss, (Omar Sy) an ex-con migrant, find themselves tossed together when Driss is hired to care for Philippe. He would really rather not with the job but there are very few options left open to him. What happens from then on, is a story of the most unexpected yet warming and funny friendships.

Driss is crass, unfiltered and funny. When all the other staff are busy pussyfooting around Philippe because of his handicap, Driss is unfazed by it. He is able to say what others are thinking and there is very little he is precious about. He mocks the uppity standards of Philippe’s life with very little, if any, care for it and his wisecracks, delivered with such sarcasm and dark humour, go just far enough but without being demeaning. It is this same infectious charm that Driss brings to the household that helps other staff loosen up. And he is a shameless flirt.

Whilst Philippe’s disability is pertinent to the story, Driss helps the audience look beyond it, their rapport is authentic and unforced. Philipe’s biggest concern is not his disability but that the people around him continue to remind him of his limitations, in their own piteous way. In comes Driss, with his noise and laughter and zest and weed to destabilise the clinical ways of Philippe’s household. Driss is from a different world, has known a different life but Philippe helps him see the lighter side of it and gives him much needed perspective. Wealth and class regardless, in a lot of ways and according to the undertones of societal norms, they are both are untouchable; one disabled and the other a black, ex-con, immigrant but by luck and circumstance they form a bond and its so much more.

Love, laughter and friendship captured in a beautifully shot story, scene after scene. Beautiful.