The Intouchables – Must Touch & Feel

Director: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano

Actors: Omar Sy, François Cluzet

Rating: 4/5

What comes to mind when you think disability? Sadness, pity and charity? And what comes to mind when you think disability films? Same? If that’s the case, ‘The Intouchables’ – the story of a man paralysed from the neck down and his helper, will surprise you with its wit, humour, fun and zest for life.

Driss (Omar Sy) goes for an interview as a helper for a paraplegic person only to get unemployment benefits. His acerbic frankness wins the heart of the disabled person Philippe (François Cluzet) who hires him against better advice.

The two form an unlikely pair, one physically disabled, the other socially; one morose the other full of life; one with the money to do everything but not the limbs, the other with the limbs and life but no money or social standing; one white the other black.

As they touch each others life, in a fun, poignant manner they change forever, becoming more the men than they ever though possible.

Can disability be fun?

The two things that will win your heart in the film, is its witty humour and the chemistry of the lead pair. Rarely in cinema have two actors been so different and yet their pairing been so perfect, and their timing so immaculate.

Omar Sy as the black man from a Parisian ghetto is a revelation while veteran actor François Cluzet delivers a punchy performance.

The Intouchables is a very important film in the history of cinema, because it is one of the rare instances where a film about a person with disability does not rely on pathos, melodrama and pity. The writer/director pair of Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano handle this true story of an actual odd couple with a dignity, sensitivity and humour rare in cinema. 

It becomes and important film because it explores a hitherto rarely explored dimension of disability i.e. the life and living of people with disability and not their sadness. Yes it is sad they are disabled, but it is in no way pathetic and no way does it mean that life ends where disability begins. Indeed, many disabled people claim today – to the utter surprise and horror of ‘normal’ people – that for many of them life actually began after their disability.  

Thus in showing that the most precious commodity in life is not necessarily the use of limbs, but a positive frame of mind, friends and laughter, it becomes a great, funny, poignant and uplifting film. Don’t miss it for the world. 

(This review has been written for the wire service, IANS)