Excellent film

Rating: 9/10 (24 April 2017)

The Intouchables, despite the title, really touches viewers' heart without being corny, pitiful or tearful. This a comedy that does keep your mouth on the silly-smile mode from beginning to end, because it's funny, it makes you laugh, but is not vulgar, cheesy or cookie-cutter made. The directors and scriptwriters juggled all the dramatic and comedic elements beautifully, and nothing is too much, too less, or so-so. The dialogues and situations are brilliant at times, very candid frequently, and really genuine at times. I found myself totally absorbed by the story and by the interaction of the two main characters.
This movie would have been different if the cast was not as good and credible as they are, from the supporting roles of the troubled kids, to the upper-nose relatives of Philippe. Yet, François Cluzet & Omar Sy carry the weight of the story, and they are brilliant. Not even for a second I saw them as actors playing a role, but as Philippe and Driss. Besides, they have an amazing chemistry on camera and on this resides, for the most part, the charm of the film.
The movie is beautifully filmed, with lovely indoors and outdoors scenes, and a wonderful lighting. It captures well the real Paris: the wonderful elegant areas of central Paris where the bourgeoisie lives, but also the very poor and marginalized banlieus of the periphery where most immigrants live. However, the aim of the film is not that of showing those dramatic differences but, on the contrary, to show how human connection is possible no matter your origin, it can be possible and magical despite, a priori, thinking that would never happen. It does not matter your social class, your gender, your past, your culture, your family or your ethnic background.
The score is beautifully poetic and quintessential Ludovico Einaudi. If you have ever listened to any of his musical pieces, you will immediately recognize the music in those progressive repetitive a-la-Philip Glass soft wanderings of the piano. Just wonderful.
My only criticism to the film is that we get to know Phillipe's character quite well by the end of the film, but not so much or as much that of Driss. We know that he comes from a troubled impoverished immigrant family living in a poor suburb, but we don't know much about him, the person, the man, what his dreams, fears, longings are, or what he was doing before the story began.
The Intouchables is a mesmerizing, heart-warming and very funny film. The fact that is based on a real story, and not just a feel-good script, gives it a layer of depth that would otherwise not have.