Very touchable!

Rating: 9/10 (4 April 2013)

Prepare yourselves for one of the most touching relationships ever brought to screen! Forget Fred and Ginger, forget Humphrey and Ingrid, because now it's all about Phillipe and Driss. Most French films I watch are nasty (but brilliant) shockers like Inside and Martyrs. Of course I've seen the odd gentler one like, I've Loved You So Long but even that's depressing. The funniest French films I've seen are Jean-Pierre Jeunet's, Amelie and Micmacs, but Untouchable just about betters both of them. It's not just one of the most funny and touching French films I've seen, but just films in general. Only a seriously bitter and cynical person could hate Untouchable.
The film opens with wit and energy as we see Phillipe and Driss trying to out-run and out-smart the police for speeding. It's a funny and clever sequence and just a taste for the even more amusing shenanigans to follow. But of course we can't just jump into the middle of the film! We need what Midge calls, "a flash-back" so we can see how they got there. What Untouchable does so well is build up its characters so we can care about them. Driss comes from a working-class background, living in a tiny and over-crowded flat. He's also a thief and his Mum has kicked him out, and although Driss is a thief we can still care about him, especially as the film goes on and we see just how funny he is.
Phillipe is the opposite. He's a hugely rich invalid with silly money to spend on paintings that look like "a nosebleed" as Driss puts it. But like magnets opposites attract. Driss is obviously attracted to his lavish quarters, already bigger than the whole flat he used to live in! The film takes time building up their relationships, as we see them bond through some very funny and touching moments. The directors make the audience feel as though we're bonding with them, so in a sense it's a three-way relationship and becomes all the more personal. Untouchable is also a comedy, there are some hilarious moments which I won't spoil, but it had me and the audience laughing pretty much all the way through.
The directing is really well done, and I also really liked the music which made some touching scenes even more touching! It's no wonder that Untouchable was a huge hit in France, because it's such a light-hearted and entertaining film, yet is also quite memorable too, thanks to the wonderful performances, witty screenplay and classy directing. Untouchable is a sort of rom-com but Jennifer Anniston is no where in sight! It's one of those 'buddy movies' which shows a touching kind of platonic love similar to that of Rain Man. It's a relationship we can all relate to and care about the couple involved.
Untouchable is a French classic and one I hope to watching in years to come. I defy anyone to watch and not to become involved in Phillipe and Driss' wonderful relationship. An endlessly funny and moving film which those with a sense of humour can enjoy. It's a wonderful feel-good film!