& Quot; Untouchables & quot; is a 2011 French film directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. It is one of the most successful French films in history, occupying second place in the ranking and only after “The Riviera is not here”. The film has become a benchmark for special needs, as it moves away from a portrait of suffering and leads us to a more natural, less tragic and more positive vision.
& Quot; Untouchables & quot; speaks of the friendship that develops between two very different men who come from completely opposite worlds. Is the movie inspired by the autobiography, an unlikely friendship? by Abdel Yasmin Sellou, one of the protagonists of this story. In the book, Sellou explains his friendship with Count Philippe, who was left a quadriplegic after a parachute accident.
- The two friends in the film are Driss and Philippe.
- Chriss lives in the suburbs of Paris.
- Is of Senegalese origin and his life is not easy at all; He’s got a criminal record.
- He’s got no job or interest in finding one.
- Despite the difficulties.
- Driss is a cheerful and funny man.
- Very carefree and who does not plan or care about the future.
At the other end, we have Philippe, a rich man who was left tetraplegic after a parachute accident. Philippe leads a monotonous and boring life and feels mortified because he arouses the pity of everyone around him. Philippe is looking for a personal assistant and is conducting a series of interviews with several candidates, including Driss. Driss conducts the interview for the sole purpose of being rejected, signing the papers to certify that he has come to the interview and thus continue to benefit from unemployment insurance.
Surprisingly, Driss is hired, as Philip loves his recklessness and wants someone who doesn’t look at him with pity, someone who doesn’t do for him what he can do for himself.
What seems crazy at first ends up being a great opportunity for both of us, giving way to a true friendship. With a little humor, subtlety and confidence, “untouchable? It invites us to see a beautiful side of the life of a person with disabilities, invites us to see different life and understand that friendship is one of the greatest treasures we can find.
Philip is tired of his life being a tragedy, everyone stand in solidarity with his disability, everyone looks at him as a tetraplegic and nothing else, in this sense finds in Driss the absence of mercy he sought, sees him as an ally to enjoy life again, even in a wheelchair.
Driss is tough, he comes from a slum, but he’s funny and he always wants to smile, they both influence each other, they complement each other. Driss gives Philip the fun side he lacked in his life, and Philippe offers Driss stability and the need to fight.
Driss is so carefree that sometimes we forget that Philippe can’t move, which creates comic situations. This funny side and the ability to see beyond his wheelchair, that’s what Philippe was looking for. I needed someone to see him as a man, no, no matter what his limits are.
Philippe, despite appearances, still has dreams and desire to smile, his self-esteem was deeply shaken after the accident, no longer has the courage to be with a woman and is not likely to do funny things, but deep down is a man who wants to save his inner child.
Driss’ indifference and vision of life will cause Philip to rediscover this desire, feel one more in the crowd, and make his disability no longer his first attribute. Finally, he finds someone who forgets his chair and treats him like an equal, merciless compassion, normal and naturally, seeing him as the person he really is.
Besides the friendship between these two men, “untouchable”?it’s a breath of life, even in its bitterest moments. You can have fun and live in any situation. Both characters have problems: Philip, because he is tied to a wheelchair, and Driss for his social status, his past and his family. Together, however, they look at life in a softer tone, accepting and appreciating, even living in the present.
As mentioned, Driss and Philippe belong to two different worlds, but one has to wonder the extent to which social differences may have influenced their lives. Philip, thanks to his wealth, had access to a good education that made him a cult and well-mannered. -educated man; on the other hand, Driss spent his entire life in marginalized neighborhoods, had problems with the law and did not have access to education.
Your birthplace and financial resources will mark your lives forever and, as a result, your problems will also be different. Chriss’ family will be more related to robbery, drugs, marginalization and an out-of-law life, while Philip’s problems will be completely different. . Two people living in the same city have completely different lives.
Upper social classes generally ignore the reality and difficulties of people living in the most marginal areas, but still, the problems of a rich person can be very different and therefore no less important.
The problems of our lives have some subjectivity when we are young, getting angry with a friend can be the biggest problem in the world and we have to deal with great suffering, as adults, we may think that it is foolish, in childhood they have permanent marks, and the same goes for social differences. Money is not everything, and in?Untouchable ?, we see that the richest man is also the most miserable.
Philippe and Driss are two friends who complement each other perfectly, are able to unite the best of their worlds. Driss’ spontaneity and carefreeness will join Philip’s culture, so that the two may earn something; Driss must strive to work, learn and acquire a culture, while Philippe learns to live more warmly, more relaxed and away from social pressures.
With a simple and natural plot and accompanied by real characters ,? Untouchable? It leaves us with a feeling of joy, attracts smiles without losing our complicity. The friendship between these two characters fascinates us, captivates us and invites us to worry less, to normalize and mitigate differences, laugh at ourselves and live a little happier , regardless of the type of circumstances we face.
“Maybe I’m naive, but I still hope I can seduce with more than just my bank account. ” – Philippe, untouchable-