The Intouchables (2011)

The Intouchables (French: Intouchables, which translates literally as Untouchable) is a French film directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano. In just nine weeks after its release in France on 2 November 2011 it became the second most successful French film of all time (in number of spectators) in the French box office, behind the 2008 film Welcome to the Sticks.

The feel-good dramatic comedy has become a cultural phenomenon in France where it was voted cultural event of the year 2011 by 52% of the French.

The Plot

The movie tells the development of the improbable friendship between Philippe, a wealthy tetraplegic, and Driss, a young offender of Senegalese descent, who is hired as his live-in carer.

The film begins at night in Paris. Driss is driving Philippe's Maserati Quattroporte at full speed, with Philippe in the front passenger's seat. They are soon chased by the police. "I bet you 100 euros I shake them off," Driss tells his passenger. Yet they are caught. Unfazed, Driss doubles his bet with Philippe, convinced they will get an escort. In order to get away with his speeding, Driss claims the tetraplegic Philippe must be urgently driven to the emergency room; Philippe pretends to have a stroke and the fooled police eventually escort them to the hospital. The two men are jubilant. As the police leave them at the hospital Driss says "Now let me take care of it," and they drive off.

The story of the two men is then told as a flashback, which occupies most of the film.

Philippe, a rich quadriplegic who owns a luxurious Parisian mansion, is interviewing, along with his assistant Magalie, to recruit a live-in carer to help him. Driss, a candidate, has no ambitions to get hired. He is just there to get a signature showing he was interviewed and rejected in order to continue to receive his welfare benefits. He is extremely casual and shamelessly flirts with Magalie. He is told to come back the next morning to get his signed letter. Driss goes back to the tiny flat that he shares with his extended family in a bleak Parisian suburb. His aunt, exasperated from not hearing from him for six months, orders him to leave the flat.

The next day, Driss returns to Philippe's mansion and learns to his surprise he is on a trial period for the live-in carer job. He learns the extent of Philippe's disability and then accompanies Philip in every moment of his life, discovering with astonishment a completely different lifestyle. A friend of Philippe's reveals to Philippe Driss' criminal record which includes six months in jail for robbery. Philippe states he does not care about Driss' past as long as he does his current job properly.

Over time, Driss and Philippe become closer. Driss dutifully takes care of his boss, who frequently suffers from psychosomatic pain. Philippe discloses to Driss he became disabled following a paragliding accident and that his wife died very young.

Gradually, Philippe is led by Driss to put some order in his private life, including being more strict with his adopted daughter Elisa, who behaves like a spoiled child with the staff. Driss discovers modern art and opera and suddenly decides to paint.

For Philippe's birthday, a private concert of classical music is performed in his living room. At first very reluctant, Driss is led by Philippe to listen more carefully to the music and opens up to Philippe's music. Driss then plays the music he likes to Philippe (Earth, Wind and Fire).

Driss discovers that Philippe has a purely epistolary relationship with a woman called Eleonore, who lives in Dunkirk. Driss encourages him to meet her but Philippe fears her reaction when she discovers his disability. Driss eventually convinces Philippe to talk to Eleonore on the phone. Philippe agrees with Driss to send a photo of him in a wheelchair to her, but he hesitates and asks his aide, Yvonne, to send a picture of him as he was before his accident. A date between Eleonore and Philippe is agreed. At the last minute Philippe is too scared to meet Eleonore and leaves with his aide Yvonne before she arrives. Philippe then calls Driss and invites him to travel with him in his private jet for a paragliding week-end. Philippe gives Driss an envelope containing 11 000 euros, the amount he was able to get for Driss's painting, which he shamelessly sold to one of his friends, by saying it was from an up-and-coming artist.

Adama, the younger brother of Driss, who is in trouble with a gang, takes refuge in Philippe's mansion. Driss comes clean about his family and reveals his secret wounds. Philippe eventually advises Driss, who "may not want to push a wheelchair all his life", to seek work elsewhere.

Driss returns to his suburbs, joining his friends, and manages to help his little brother. Due to his new professional experience, he lands a job in a transport company. In the meantime Philippe has hired carers to replace Driss but he isn't happy with any of them. His morale is very low and he stops taking care of himself. Yvonne is worried and contacts Driss. Driss arrives and decides to drive Philippe in the Maserati and the action comes back to the first scene of the film, the police chase. After they have eluded the police, Driss takes Philippe straight to the seaside. Driss and Philippe arrive at a restaurant with a great view of the ocean. Driss suddenly leaves the table and says good luck to him for his meeting. Philippe does not understand but a few seconds later Eleonore arrives. Philippe looks outside and sees Driss walking along the seawalk, smiling at him.

Reviews

The film won the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix award given to the best film at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Award for Best Actor to both Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy in 2011.

Omar Sy received the César Award for Best Actor on 24 February 2012 for the role of Driss (defeating Jean Dujardin, nominated for The Artist). He is the first actor of African descent to receive this award.

In the United States, a review published in Variety finds the movie "offensive", "which flings about the kind of Uncle Tom racism one hopes has permanently exited American screens". In the film Driss (Omar Sy) is of Senegalese descent. Most French journalists do not understand such an interpretation and highlight the cultural issue that America has with anything linked to ethnicity.

The Weinstein Company has acquired rights of the film in English-speaking countries, Scandinavian countries, China and US remake rights.

The Cast

François Cluzet as Philippe
 Omar Sy as Driss
 Anne Le Ny as Yvonne
 Audrey Fleurot as Magalie
 Clotilde Mollet as Marcelle
 Alba Gaïa Kraghede Bellugi as Elisa
 Cyril Mendy as Adama
 Christian Ameri as Albert
 Grégoire Oestermann as Antoine