So I went to the cinema yesterday
So yesterday I saw Untouchable, and it was really good. There hasn't been all that much publicity for it over here that I've noticed, but I hope some buzz builds up for it because I thought it was really charming.
It's a French film, based on a true story, about the friendship that develops between a young black guy who is an unemployed working class ex con, and the very rich, cultured, older white guy who is paralysed from the neck down that hires him as his care giver. It sounds kinda madcap doesn't it? But while a lot of it was funny, it definitely took its premise seriously, and that helped - the culture clashes could be funny for what they were, not because one side was mocking or cruel toward the other. But yeah, I found it very charming. There were many laugh out loud moments, and a few that were very touching. And a couple of "oh my god!" gaspy moments. On reflection, I think it was nice that neither character tried to change each other really, they just brought out the best in each other. And even when they each thought the other was weird, there was still an underlying respect there. The subplots of their respective family troubles and stuttering attempts at romance were sweet and well balanced, adding other dimensions to the main characters without distracting from the point of the film; that both these people were real, and whole, and had problems and made jokes and made each others' lives better.
It didn't pass the Bechdel test, but obvs it won very high in intersectional stakes; hello, entire movie. And the women that were featured I think were done well. I was happy with it. A couple of the characters said a couple of problematic things, but that was part of them as real, flawed characters and didn't reflect on the actual story the film was telling.
Overall, it was enjoyable and touching, funny and sad and insightful. Go see it!
***
Untouchable had trailers for two films I hadn't heard of and tbh I am outraged that the internet had some how failed to tell me of their existence because they both a) feature awesome ladies I am a fan of and b) actually look like they are going to be good films. Yes I realise not knowing your darling had made entire films suggests I am not that good a fan but SHUT UP I trust the internet to tell me these things and it didn't so now my faith is shaken, SHAKEN I TELL YOU.
Anyway, what nobody deigned to tell me was that a) awesome Kristen Stewart is in an adaptation of On The Road, which I keep meaning to read, oops, which also has Kirsten Dunst, another of my faves, god I bet people getting Kristen and Kirsten mixed up was terrible on this film, and it looked good, and also b) that JENNIFER LAWRENCE who I really trusted my dash would have told me about but nooooo has made a film called Silver Linings Playbook, which seems a stupid name but whatever, who cares, because it is a film about two not-entirely-well-adjusted-mentally people who IDK meet and help each other grow and maybe date or something. The trailer didn't make it clear whether they were depressed or something else but these are people who happily discussing their medication history with each other aka OMG MY INTEREST IS PIQUED.
Sure, OK, they are both still middle class white people but ssssh because Hollywood is trying you guys it has made a film where the heroes are not mentally normative that I fully expect will have a happy ending (and if it doesn't I'mma cry) and did I mention JENNIFER LAWRENCE so yay.
It's a French film, based on a true story, about the friendship that develops between a young black guy who is an unemployed working class ex con, and the very rich, cultured, older white guy who is paralysed from the neck down that hires him as his care giver. It sounds kinda madcap doesn't it? But while a lot of it was funny, it definitely took its premise seriously, and that helped - the culture clashes could be funny for what they were, not because one side was mocking or cruel toward the other. But yeah, I found it very charming. There were many laugh out loud moments, and a few that were very touching. And a couple of "oh my god!" gaspy moments. On reflection, I think it was nice that neither character tried to change each other really, they just brought out the best in each other. And even when they each thought the other was weird, there was still an underlying respect there. The subplots of their respective family troubles and stuttering attempts at romance were sweet and well balanced, adding other dimensions to the main characters without distracting from the point of the film; that both these people were real, and whole, and had problems and made jokes and made each others' lives better.
It didn't pass the Bechdel test, but obvs it won very high in intersectional stakes; hello, entire movie. And the women that were featured I think were done well. I was happy with it. A couple of the characters said a couple of problematic things, but that was part of them as real, flawed characters and didn't reflect on the actual story the film was telling.
Overall, it was enjoyable and touching, funny and sad and insightful. Go see it!
***
Untouchable had trailers for two films I hadn't heard of and tbh I am outraged that the internet had some how failed to tell me of their existence because they both a) feature awesome ladies I am a fan of and b) actually look like they are going to be good films. Yes I realise not knowing your darling had made entire films suggests I am not that good a fan but SHUT UP I trust the internet to tell me these things and it didn't so now my faith is shaken, SHAKEN I TELL YOU.
Anyway, what nobody deigned to tell me was that a) awesome Kristen Stewart is in an adaptation of On The Road, which I keep meaning to read, oops, which also has Kirsten Dunst, another of my faves, god I bet people getting Kristen and Kirsten mixed up was terrible on this film, and it looked good, and also b) that JENNIFER LAWRENCE who I really trusted my dash would have told me about but nooooo has made a film called Silver Linings Playbook, which seems a stupid name but whatever, who cares, because it is a film about two not-entirely-well-adjusted-mentally people who IDK meet and help each other grow and maybe date or something. The trailer didn't make it clear whether they were depressed or something else but these are people who happily discussing their medication history with each other aka OMG MY INTEREST IS PIQUED.
Sure, OK, they are both still middle class white people but ssssh because Hollywood is trying you guys it has made a film where the heroes are not mentally normative that I fully expect will have a happy ending (and if it doesn't I'mma cry) and did I mention JENNIFER LAWRENCE so yay.