If you only care for films about angry people, made by angry people The Intouchables may not be for you (I like movies about angry people made by angry people myself). It isn't a great film but it doesn't have to be. It is still touching and, perhaps, an introduction to an actor who may appear in heftier fare down the road (Omar Sy).
The word "great" is used too often these days anyway. It is like "hero." Someone who saves a spider from the sink is a hero these days. And everyone calls every film they see "great." Go look at the online reader reviews. Even the dumbest movies get 4 out of 5 stars.
I digress.
This film deserves to be called great more than others that are described as such.
The gist of the film is a paraplegic with a boatload of money is in need of a new assistant; someone to get him up and shower him in the morning, to feed him, exercise him and other less pleasant tasks. Instead of the line of qualified applicants he hires a young man who came to apply solely because he wants to keep his unemployment benefit (as we would call it in the USA). When he is told that this street denizen has a record and likely no pity he replies "I don't want pity."
There is some sentimentality. Given the subject matter it is almost unavoidable. How is it that sentiment has come to be a bad thing? Is it SO awful to feel some compassion and see a change for the good in a character?
Not that any character in this film is bad. That may be part of the point. People can go wrong just because of circumstance, lack of opportunity. It doesn't mean they are inherently bad. But that may also be getting too deep for this film.
This is a slice of life movie that doesn't really get too deep into the characters in the script--that is left to performances. And these performances seem like they have a back-story that isn't actually there. Which is probably the sign of good performances. There is no real conflict here to resolve but the film keeps you with it anyway.
The word "great" is used too often these days anyway. It is like "hero." Someone who saves a spider from the sink is a hero these days. And everyone calls every film they see "great." Go look at the online reader reviews. Even the dumbest movies get 4 out of 5 stars.
I digress.
This film deserves to be called great more than others that are described as such.
The gist of the film is a paraplegic with a boatload of money is in need of a new assistant; someone to get him up and shower him in the morning, to feed him, exercise him and other less pleasant tasks. Instead of the line of qualified applicants he hires a young man who came to apply solely because he wants to keep his unemployment benefit (as we would call it in the USA). When he is told that this street denizen has a record and likely no pity he replies "I don't want pity."
There is some sentimentality. Given the subject matter it is almost unavoidable. How is it that sentiment has come to be a bad thing? Is it SO awful to feel some compassion and see a change for the good in a character?
Not that any character in this film is bad. That may be part of the point. People can go wrong just because of circumstance, lack of opportunity. It doesn't mean they are inherently bad. But that may also be getting too deep for this film.
This is a slice of life movie that doesn't really get too deep into the characters in the script--that is left to performances. And these performances seem like they have a back-story that isn't actually there. Which is probably the sign of good performances. There is no real conflict here to resolve but the film keeps you with it anyway.
There are montages that have little to do with the plot--the time honored (to be kind) "getting dressed" montage for instance. There is also a funnier "shaving montage". They do it well here so it never makes you want to claw out your eyes. If this were a big budget Hollywood film they would last 15 minutes and have a Beyonce song played throughout.
The main character, though disabled, is never pitiable. He isn't trying to end it all. He isn't trying to find a cure. He is trying to live his life in his current state and has problems--for instance with women--that he simply does not know how to solve. This is what is refreshing about the movie. He is a man. Just a man who cannot walk or move. He has the same brain as the rest of us. He isn't some precious hero or a freak. Getting that across in a film is no small thing.
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