For
the second week in a row I saw a winner of a movie when I picked to go
and see, “The Intouchables”, instead of another Hollywood, sci-fi,
special effects overloaded, summer blockbuster. “The Intouchables” has
been number 1 on the French most popular film list for 10 weeks and is
the most successful French film in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria,
the Netherlands, Israel and has now opened in the USA.

The
film is based on a true story, one that we have seen fictionalized in
many movies, and all the cliches are there but the two leads make it a
unique film. Francois Cluzet plays Philippe, a very wealthy, white man
who lost his wife of 25 years and then, after going hang gliding winds
up paralyzed from the neck down. Francois Cluzet does more acting with
his head and face then most actors do with their whole body. Omar Sy
plays Driss, a Black man, a hoodlum, with lots of rhythm, who becomes
Philippe’s caretaker and introduces him to grass along with Earth, Wind
and Fire and takes his boss on adventures. Meanwhile his boss. lets him
drive his Maserati, takes him for a ride in his private jet and makes
him hang glide.

The
supporting cast is top notch and one story line doesn’t end like you
might expect but these two actors are mesmerizing. Sy has a smile and
personality that fills up the screen while Cluzet looks a lot like
Dustin Hoffman and steals many a scene with a nod of his head or a smile
on his face. The magic they have together makes you overlook what might
be some offending scenes and lines plus avoiding challenges that the
relationship between a white Frenchman and a black man from originally
from Afric, and just recently released from jail, and who steals a
Faberge egg from his new boss would bring.

The
film is co-written and co-directed by Eric Toledano and Olivier
Nakache. They make the actors very appealing and we feel affection for
them almost from the opening shot. The opening shot basically tells us
the story and where it is going but we laugh as we go along on their
journey and some, like me, may even shed a tear. The music track
includes Nina Simone singing “Feeling Good”, George Benson’s “The Ghetto
plus classics like Vivaldi’s “4 Seasons” which adds to the feelings you
have for the 2 guys.

The
movie is supposedly going to be remade in Hollywood,  but even they
couldn’t come up with a more illogical Hollywood ending and, yet, make
it work. Don’t know who would play Sy’s role but it might be interesting
if Dustin Hoffman did the Philippe role.

At
the end of the credits they give the names of the men the story was
based on but I didn’t catch them and I tried googling and binging but
couldn’t come up with what had been a documentary. When you see the film
let me know their real names.

Should
you want to see a film with heart, two superb performances by Francois
Cluzet and Omar Sy plus a few laughs, not to forget that possible
teardrop, go see “The Intouchables”.