The Film
Based on a true story, The French foreign language film The Intouchables, tells a moving tale about the bond that develops between a wealthy French quadriplegic man and his aide. Philippe, an aristocrat badly injured in an accident, needs a caretaker. Out of a line-up of over-educated (for the job) candidates, Philippe chooses instead to hire a man from the projects (Driss). Driss shows up for the interview not to get the job, but to get papers signed so he would receive his benefit checks. When he's offered the position, he reluctantly accepts, and thus begins their journey of mutual enlightenment.
The film has earned international recognition having been nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes as well as a BAFTA for Best Film Not in the English Language. It was also France's official selection in the Foregin Language Category for the Academy Awards for the 2011 release year. The Intouchables was nominated for nine 2012 Cesar Awards including Best Film, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Both lead actors Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy were nominated for Best Actor at the Cesar Awards, and Omar Sy went home with the award. Both actors shared the honor of Best Actor at the Tokyo Film Festival, while the film won the Grand Prize for the show. When the film was released in North America in 2012 it became the top-grossing foreign film and helped ring up worldwide box office figures of more than $420 million.
For more details on the story, wheel over to read David Kempler's review of The Intouchables.
The Picture
The Intouchables is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with 1080p resolution. The film is set primarily in the Philippe's Paris mansion, which is shown with rich, dark hues and crisp detail. The French antique décor, complete down to a collection of Faberge eggs, is shown in detail. The wood tones and red fabric wallpapers set the tone for the film.
A number of external scenes add to the film's sets. Many scenes show Paris at night. Some of those scenes are not quite as crisp, and other scenes almost a little grainy. But overall it appears to be a faithful representation of the film.
The Sound
Dialog plays a strong part in the film, and is represented clearly and articulately on the Blu-ray's DTS-HD Master Audio track. The same can be said for the film's comprehensive soundtrack of classical music, some of which was performed live during the filming of the movie. The film also includes an opera and a few more modern classics thrown in. Overall, the sound is captured well, with plenty of detail evident whether in lines of whispered dialog, or in the melodius twang of classical strings.
The Extras
In the Blu-ray package of The Intouchables, extras are a little thin. The menu lists five deleted scenes as the bonus materials. The Intouchables is also available via UltraViolet, so you can watch the movie on compatible devices via the cloud. The film itself includes a bonus of some sorts. At the close of the film subtitles explain the lives that the two men went on to lead, and then shows a picture of the real-life Philippe and Driss.
Final Thoughts
One expects to require a box of tissues to watch a movie about a quadriplegic and his caretaker. Yet this film is as much comedy as it is drama, unexpectedly bringing laugther to my lips as the story unfolded in layers, with each character revealing new insight into past lives. The Intouchables is an enjoyable film and illustrates that true friendship can arise in unexpected places and between the most unlikely people.
Product Details
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