Realistic Grandeur

Rating: 9/10 (7 July 2012)

The Intouchables begins with the disoriented action of an elderly white aristocrat being driven at thrilling pace through Paris in a Maserati by a strikingly tall (Omar Sy), as they devilishly evade arrest following a high-speed police pursuit. The narrative then returns in time to establish this relationship, which cleverly exploits the 'Unlikely friendship' cliché which would otherwise be presumed by the audience as tired before commencement.
The acting of both Francis and Omar combines to carry the realism and humanity upon which this magnificent film is grounded in. The incredibly dynamic portrayal of a mutual sense of humour, which acted as the primary catalyst between Philippe and Driss is testament to the level of artistry deserving of all awards they received for their performance.
Ludovico Einaudi has done a magnificent job at creating a score that not only sounds realistic itself, but brings classical profundity and a very French grandeur in to contrast with the very down-to-earth themes of friendship and raw human nature.
Cinematically flawless, the urban landscape of Driss' hometown becomes equally visually appealing as the aristocratic parties and over-decorated sweeping hallways of Philippe's mansion. Long-lens portraiture on wet Paris streets with dancing Bokeh consistently delivers as cinematography explores both the romance and cold edginess of the city's colour palate.
While The Intouchables delivers in all sections of production and narrative value, the story lacked legitimacy and depth when delving into the life of Driss, and at times felt slightly tokenistic and perhaps too evidently conceived from high-budget production. Despite the lack of a grungy social representation that maybe I wrongly expected, I vote this film as just short of absolute brilliance.