warm uplifting story of two different characters forging a friendship

Rating: 7/10 (27 May 2013)

Amusing heartwarming drama about a quadriplegic millionaire who looks for a carer, but all the "professional" applicants are condescending, unfeeling and all about their paper qualifications and academic knowledge reducing Philippe (Francois Cluzet) to an object. Driss (Omar Sy) is at the interview just to get Benefits but his irreverence and dismissive laissez faire attitude actually meant that he treated Philippe like a person. A heartwarming relationship grows with it's ups and downs, bringing in more about each of their pasts and hopes for the future.
The film is simply filmed, with a witty and gripping script (subtitled into English), which isn't lost in translation. The actors Cluzet and Sy were brilliant in their respective roles with Cluzet brilliantly portraying quadriplegic, only able to move his head and face, but his acting is a commitment to trust in that he has to remain still and inflexible. Sy was exuberant, fun and wild but also showing sensitivity and well-portrayed comic-stupidity. There's music, art and dancing, love and sexuality, fast cars, adrenalin sports, laughs a-plenty but also desperation, struggle and prejudice.
It's well acted but whilst the plot is based on a true story, and has something for everyone in true 'underdog makes good' or 'Rainman-esque' style, the screenplay is lacking something. I'm not sure what it is, I think perhaps it's that there are holes in the characters, and in the plot and you are left with questions; you feel it's going to go a certain way... I expected more with Philippe's daughter 'Uncle Buck' style but liked how Driss lightened the mood of the house and brought joy and friendship to the story but ultimately there was something unfulfilled with his character, there wasn't enough depth and finish. I felt that use of Driss played to stereotypes, especially finding out that the original carer wasn't from Senegal but North Africa/Morocco and I wonder whether the story was exaggerated for the screenplay.
I liked this film a lot, highly watchable and enjoyable and a very good cinematic experience. I can see why this was lauded but it's not particularly original and did play to stereotypes and didn't feel exactly finished. I was glad I saw it though, and it is apparently France's second most successful film after Welcome to the Sticks. A wonderful soundtrack, the Chamber Orchestra scene was great.