SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO REACH INTO SOMEONE ELSE’S WORLD TO FIND OUT WHAT’S MISSING IN YOUR OWN.
Wealthy quadriplegic Philippe (François Cluzet) spots something special in Driss (Omar Sy), a young man from the Parisian suburbs, and hires him as a caregiver, even though he has no experience. Based on a true story, the film was a huge hit around the world, not least because of attractive lead performances – Sy and Cluzet really make us care for this unlikely duo. Their journey, as they get to know each other, has a fair share of amusing and touching moments. The directors succeed in taking old clichés and repackaging them into a slick tearjerker, but it’s a lesser Driving Miss Daisy (1989) that doesn’t have much to say about its social issues.
2011-France. 102 min. Color. Written and directed by Olivier Nakache, Éric Toledano. Cast: François Cluzet (Philippe), Omar Sy (Driss), Anne Le Ny (Yvonne), Audrey Fleurot, Clotilde Mollet, Alba Gaïa Bellugi.
Trivia: Original title: Intouchables. Released in Britain as Untouchable. Remade in the U.S. as The Upside (2019).