The Intouchables (2011)

The film is corny but charming, a broad and accessible comedy-drama about an unlikely friendship between a wealthy quadriplegic and his carer from the banlieues. It wears its crowd-pleasing aspirations openly while delivering warm comedy and boundary-crossing themes.

The critic praises the chemistry between leads Omar Sy and François Cluzet that elevates the sentimental buddy story of a quadriplegic aristocrat and his caretaker. However, the rest of the film relies on tired clichés, manipulative subplots, and stereotypes that undermine its emotional truth.

The critic notes the enjoyable performances from François Cluzet and Omar Sy but finds the story predictable after a strong opening and criticizes the emotional beats as overly sentimental despite the true story basis.

The critic finds the film watchable but inconsequential and overly softened for mass appeal, with a plot that raises liberal-guilt alarms through its cross-class, cross-race buddy dynamic. The leads make ingratiating foils and the opening sequence shows comic promise, but the rest lacks subtlety and depth.

The film is a crowd-pleaser aimed at simpletons. It offers feel-good escapism through its central friendship but lacks depth or originality.

The premise renders analysis redundant as the characters are walking tangles of class signification. It leads to conservative mush that treats class expectations as a quiet triumph while offering inspirational pablum.

Denby describes the film as a watered-down, square version of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, criticizing its French sentimentality that descends into condescension and embarrassment. He singles out the strong performance by François Cluzet but finds the overall movie grating and problematic.

Two strong central performances elevate a shamelessly manipulative French crowd pleaser. The film is a genial buddy movie that borrows liberally from other crowd-pleasers but delivers some moving moments thanks to its leads.

The critic praises the film's winning mainstream appeal and the strong, sincere rapport between the two leads, which avoids mawkishness. They single out the odd-couple dynamic and human moments, like the opera scene, for praise, while noting it follows a familiar formula.

The critic praises the film's crowd-pleasing yet irreverent take on the true story of an unlikely friendship between a quadriplegic aristocrat and his ex-con caretaker. The central performances by François Cluzet and Omar Sy are singled out for their chemistry and ability to elevate the material.

The critic finds the film a predictable, dull-minded crowd-pleaser that relies on simplistic contrasts and formulaic elements without depth. They single out the crude handling of class and racial dynamics, and the lack of genuine insight into the characters' growth, for complaint.

The film is a well-meaning but condescending feel-good story of an unlikely friendship that ultimately leaves a bad taste. It singles out the 'magical Negro' trope and the odd ethnic change from the real-life inspiration for criticism.