This film is inspired by the real life story of Phillippe Pozzi di Borgo, quadriplegic since 1993 and totally dependant on others for his survival, both physically and mentally. The most important person in his life is Abdel Yasmin Sellou, his domiciliary care.
Pozzi di Borgo has written a book called 'Le Second Souffle' ('The Second Breath', my translation) where he tells the story about his life with Yasmin Sellou and it's from this book the directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano made the adaptation for the screen.
In the film they are called Philippe (François Cluzet) and Driss (Omar Sy).
The film starts during a nocturnal car trip with Driss driving the Maserati Quattroporte of Philippe in highest speed, in a slalom-like way, through the streets of Paris. Very soon they are apprehended by the Police and when this happens, Philippe simulate a seizure of some kind and Driss starts to argue with the police saying that they were on their way to the hospital.
The police thereby accompany them, leaving them outside to wait for the personel they have called. The police disappears and before the doctors and nurses get to the car, the two men leave.
After this we are introduced to these both characters, beginning with the story about how they met, told through flashbacks.
Driss needs an unemployment paper signed and in order to get this done he turn up at Philippe's house when he is having interviews with potential domiciliary cares.
All of these candidates are very serious-minded and they display their credentials but Philippe doesn't seem to be satisfied with their 'performances' anyway.
The day after their first meeting, Driss - who's mother has thrown him out of the apartment as he hasn't shown himself in a long time, not taking his responsiblity for economy and his younger siblings.
Of course Philipp hire Driss, not because of his qualities in the capacity he is in but more because he adds something totally different to the everyday life of Philipp who is an extremely wealthy person but also rather blasé.
At the beginning Driss doesn't seem to know anything about how to handle a person with this kind of handicap and he is both nonchalant and ignorant.
They get along well however and Philipp as well as Driss learn from each other and get to see a part of life they've never come in contact with.
Problems of different types occur of course but even if separated for a time, they stay with each other for many years, as in the real-life story.
This film has to this date (I'm writing this, not the same night as we saw the film but the 5th of Janury 2012) become the third most viewed French film in France and the 5th most viewed film, counting all films screened in France since 'the dawn' of The Seventh Art. Almost 17 million Frenchmen and -women have seen it!
Was it that good?
Well, let's say that the story - also being a true one - has its interesting angles but on the same time, there are to many sterotypical images in this film, preventing it from becoming really interesting and touching.
It's the black man from the suburb, not seeming to know anything outside the social context in which he lives and then the white upper class Frenchman, knowing his whereabouts in 'his world' but not much about what's going on in Driss' world.
In addition to this, Philippe is also a very priviliged person, being extremely rich and therefore being able to buy what he wants, consult any specialist he wants or hire whoever he wants.
It's of course not a enviable situation the one Philippe's in but with money you can alleviate the burdens of you're daily life, something the poor can't.
When driving the car like fools through the town, being stopped by the police, lying about the reasons for driving so fast, blaming it on Philippe and his handicap, it sends out signals that if you're rich you can do what you want, not having to pay the price for your mistakes. Isn't it like that in real life? Of course it is. Rich and/or influential people can always buy themselves out of situations but it might have been better to display that the law - for once - applies to everyone, rich as well as poor?
On the whole, these stereotypes in combination with to much of feel good ambience combined with the very foreseeable screenplay makes this film somewhat charming but fairly uninteresting. It's not at all a film that will stay on in your memory for long.
(Photo Phillippe Pozzi di Borgo and Abdel Yasmin Sellou http://www.lefigaro.fr/medias/2011/11/10/dfb9d11e-0bc4-11e1-852e-cea02dc2c30f.jpg)
Pozzi di Borgo has written a book called 'Le Second Souffle' ('The Second Breath', my translation) where he tells the story about his life with Yasmin Sellou and it's from this book the directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano made the adaptation for the screen.In the film they are called Philippe (François Cluzet) and Driss (Omar Sy).
The film starts during a nocturnal car trip with Driss driving the Maserati Quattroporte of Philippe in highest speed, in a slalom-like way, through the streets of Paris. Very soon they are apprehended by the Police and when this happens, Philippe simulate a seizure of some kind and Driss starts to argue with the police saying that they were on their way to the hospital.
The police thereby accompany them, leaving them outside to wait for the personel they have called. The police disappears and before the doctors and nurses get to the car, the two men leave.
After this we are introduced to these both characters, beginning with the story about how they met, told through flashbacks.
Driss needs an unemployment paper signed and in order to get this done he turn up at Philippe's house when he is having interviews with potential domiciliary cares.
All of these candidates are very serious-minded and they display their credentials but Philippe doesn't seem to be satisfied with their 'performances' anyway.
The day after their first meeting, Driss - who's mother has thrown him out of the apartment as he hasn't shown himself in a long time, not taking his responsiblity for economy and his younger siblings.
Of course Philipp hire Driss, not because of his qualities in the capacity he is in but more because he adds something totally different to the everyday life of Philipp who is an extremely wealthy person but also rather blasé.
At the beginning Driss doesn't seem to know anything about how to handle a person with this kind of handicap and he is both nonchalant and ignorant.
They get along well however and Philipp as well as Driss learn from each other and get to see a part of life they've never come in contact with.
Problems of different types occur of course but even if separated for a time, they stay with each other for many years, as in the real-life story.
This film has to this date (I'm writing this, not the same night as we saw the film but the 5th of Janury 2012) become the third most viewed French film in France and the 5th most viewed film, counting all films screened in France since 'the dawn' of The Seventh Art. Almost 17 million Frenchmen and -women have seen it!Was it that good?
Well, let's say that the story - also being a true one - has its interesting angles but on the same time, there are to many sterotypical images in this film, preventing it from becoming really interesting and touching.
It's the black man from the suburb, not seeming to know anything outside the social context in which he lives and then the white upper class Frenchman, knowing his whereabouts in 'his world' but not much about what's going on in Driss' world.
In addition to this, Philippe is also a very priviliged person, being extremely rich and therefore being able to buy what he wants, consult any specialist he wants or hire whoever he wants.
It's of course not a enviable situation the one Philippe's in but with money you can alleviate the burdens of you're daily life, something the poor can't.
When driving the car like fools through the town, being stopped by the police, lying about the reasons for driving so fast, blaming it on Philippe and his handicap, it sends out signals that if you're rich you can do what you want, not having to pay the price for your mistakes. Isn't it like that in real life? Of course it is. Rich and/or influential people can always buy themselves out of situations but it might have been better to display that the law - for once - applies to everyone, rich as well as poor?
On the whole, these stereotypes in combination with to much of feel good ambience combined with the very foreseeable screenplay makes this film somewhat charming but fairly uninteresting. It's not at all a film that will stay on in your memory for long.
(Photo Phillippe Pozzi di Borgo and Abdel Yasmin Sellou http://www.lefigaro.fr/medias/2011/11/10/dfb9d11e-0bc4-11e1-852e-cea02dc2c30f.jpg)
(Photo François Cluzet and Philippe Pozzo di Borgo copied from: http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/francois-cluzet-and-philippe-pozzo-di-borgo-VsiFsv.jpg)
1 comment:
I watched the movie;a warm friendship and taste is a comedy.
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