94. Intouchables (A-)
Or, in North American
The Intouchables, which is a bit awkward. Apparently a cultural phenomenon in France and Europe (to the tune of over 300 million dollars), it's an example of formula done right (notwithstanding that it's based on a true story, which we're somewhat confusingly informed about in an epilogue, which just drops in the guys' real names without having previously specified who they are) -- funny, shiftless poor man befriends uptight, serious rich guy, they teach each other about responsibility and having fun. A story like this hinges on chemistry between the leads, and that's considerably in evidence; the movie is quite funny, and it's more serious moments generally work too, though Sy's troubled family connections seem like they needed a bit more time, particularly given how important they are to the denouement. I spent much of the movie convinced I'd seen Cluzet in something else before, but looking at the IMDb, apparently not -- he's just a dead ringer for a younger Dustin Hoffman.
Speaking of the IMDb, this is currently in their Top 250, which is pretty impressive for a foreign-language comedy that almost nobody in America saw. Apparently the Weinsteins are planning an English-language remake.
Cinema: 24 (+1)
Home Video: 60
Computer: 10