The Intouchables (2011)

Akin to Scent of a Woman, The Intouchables is about a young man who becomes a caregiver and friend for a wealthy old man with a disability - in this case, tetraplegia. A French film with English subtitles, this leans more towards comedy than drama and ultimately is more enjoyable than its more famous cousin. Both men have something to learn from each other in terms of race, class and life in general while the careful translation keeps the dialogue snappy and smart. The soulful soundtrack is lightly peppered throughout the film and culminates in an amusing music appreciation scene where Phillipe's classical music is played against Driss's hip hop music. Unlikely friendship movies are not a new idea, however, so long as they remain as merry as The Intouchables then I'm sure there will always be a market for them. Watch it many a time.

8.5/10