The Intouchables

Despite their different lots in life, Philippe (François Cluzet) sees much that he admires in Driss (Omar Sy). Philippe is too rich to even know what he’s worth, while Driss has never had a peaceful day in his life, probably—he’s dirt-poor, a refugee from Northern Africa. The elder Frenchman is confined to a wheelchair as a result of an accident, so even though Driss has no experience as a caregiver, Philippe is magnetized by his very presence, and the two become great friends. The Intouchables is about as surprising as cake at a birthday party, but the slice-of-life humor that writers-directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano infuse their film with makes just about every scene interesting and enlightening. The two wonderful lead performances don’t hurt, either.