The Intouchables (2011)
This film felt very much like a fantasy and it resorted to stereotypes just a few too many times for comfort, so I can’t really wholeheartedly say it was excellent or anything of the sort. It felt forced in many instances, and the rich white guy poor black guy dynamic was just a little too obvious. I think it was really unfortunate that they felt the need to so explicitly point out Driss’ race and tie it to his personality and background, because the central point of the story didn’t need it at all and the film would’ve worked fine without it. Instead, the confluence of factors makes it seem like the filmmakers wanted a story about a certain type of person, and then stereotyped black men into the role of their protagonist. Apparently it was loosely based on a true story, but more work could’ve been done in storyboarding not to fall right into classic stereotyping, because that makes it come off as racist, true to life or not.
The parts that I did enjoy were the hilarious bits, when Ave Maria plays over a glorious panorama shot of an exquisite bathroom. Or when he insists, I don’t empty anyone’s ass. On principle.
I was watching this film next to my grandparents, who just moved in with us so that we can take care of them. I think at that point in your life its hard to feel independence anymore, and you feel so different from everyone else. Alienated, I guess. The beautiful part of the film is the feel-good humanizing it does. At some point one of his family members tells him that his new assistant is the type of person with no pity. And he replies that that’s exactly what he wants. No pity, he says. I know its probably over-dramatic of me, but I can feel that in when my grandfather doesn’t want help getting to the door, or have his plate carried to the table. People try so hard to help you that they treat you like you aren’t even a person.
More so it’s just a sweet friendship. I had a brief conversation earlier about how important supportive friends are, and I’ve been thinking about how people who respect you and push you and love you are rare. Obviously this film is a fantasized tear-jerker, but their friendship is loving in the exactly right ways.
