Untouchable

A black angel in a bourgeois mansion. In America, African nannies teach middle-class children emotional completeness, in Britain, a Yemeni sheikh preaches to depressed heroes about the meaning of life, and in France, a Senegalese beanpole gives a quadriplegic millionaire the motivation to do things by turning the idyll of the rich people into a soft version of a Parisian suburb (at the same time, of course, he assimilates himself with the beauty of "high art"). If this isn't a midcult crucible with all the ingredients, then I'm a legless satyr. The Intouchables is related to both of these films by the fact that they are dead from the waist down (including the heart and balls), but after all, it burns them well enough so that one cannot hurt their feelings. It is cheerful, warm, sometimes even slightly beyond the edge of political correctness, but it is, as the Georgian Schnauzer would say, non-conflicting and wrapped in silk. The French know how to make these multi-cult ornaments, and the powerfully applauded work of the pair of directors has the beautiful feature that at least it doesn't force you to watch any clichéd social and political stereotypes (at least the philanthropic moneybags doesn't save the trailer trash from the ghetto), although that submissiveness to the middle taste is too much for my taste - in the end, it's actually something between a fairy tale and a comedy. I understand the high rating, unlike the dull poop called The Help... but similar emotional films just don’t work on me. P.S. Commissioner Cluzet is great... (27/05/2012)

An excellent, superbly dramatic, and well-crafted film about real life among paraplegics and similarly disabled individuals. Philippe belongs to that fraction of the population who can afford to live in a castle with plenty of staff, and in such an environment, paralysis is much more bearable than languishing in an institution with burnt-out staff who make it abundantly clear how much your mere physical existence irritates them, and who keep you perpetually in a state of miserable survival. However, such a truthful film would not offer so much heartwarming humor, interesting situations, and appealing characters. The mutual chemistry between caregiver Driss, a black plebeian from the outskirts, and the aristocratic upper-class Philippe is simply perfect and fully functional. The film not only explores the development of a great friendship but also interestingly tackles the clash of different cultures, social classes, and the eternal conflict between the so-called high elite culture and the popular culture of the masses. The Intouchables excellently fulfills both genres it represents. You laugh at these characters and at the same time, you are afraid for them. There is one thing more I need to criticize - the film's epilogue is unnecessarily literal, and here, I would have left a more or less open ending and room for the viewer's imagination. Overall impression: 90%. (13/06/2012)

There’s no doubt this is a beautiful story that can make you fly, but perhaps (though the comparison is very exaggerated) compared to the similarly will-inducing Shawshank, it gets old fast and the initial enthusiasm wears thin. I still enjoy watching it more than most American comedies of the last few years, but I'd look elsewhere for undying cult-status. (02/05/2018)

I have no hesitation in giving this all five stars, even if it is a purpose-made product, full of cliché and the right type of humanity. It flows past pleasantly, always something happening, and even above average in terms of acting. The customary French tempo has left the handbrake on, so in fact it rolls on just right for us to be able to appreciate the millionaire’s attributes... The Maserati, the great bath tub. I agree that sooner than later we’ll see an American remake. (05/04/2012)

There's a lack of insight, so it remains a very briskly shot and brilliantly humorous comedy. The French pulled their punches, fudged the script and avoided the clichéd philosophising in luminous Paris and classic gritty street stories. Intouchables is a fresh ride full of emotions and spontaneous improvisation of the main characters, without pathos and sentimentality. It's not reality, but neither is it beyond reality. A hit about right in the middle, with the heart in the right place. (29/07/2016)