I picked up this film off of Netflix, having seen the trailer, it looked interesting. It is about a wealthy quadriplegic man (Philippe) who needs 24-hour care and end up hiring a man named Driss. The film starts out with Driss and Philippe driving too fast and get pulled over by the police. The story then backtracks from there, back to the beginning, where Driss first meets Philippe and makes a big impression. Driss is exactly the man Philippe needs in his life. Not being able to do anything but move his head can take its toll, and what Philippe needed was someone fresh, who thinks differently and who forgets that Philippe is handicapped from time to time. Driss enters his life and literally transports Philippe to places to do things he has never even tried before. Driss makes the effort to get to know Philippe, even down to what he turns him on erotically. Driss was young and a little bit silly and was a breath of fresh air for Philippe. Driss was essentially from the hood and not used to the wealthy lifestyle he was introduced to. For example, there was a scene where the two of them go to an art gallery, and there is a piece for sale that literally looks like blood splatter. Driss is stunned by how much people are willing to pay, so much, so, he later takes a swing at it himself. Philippe hires a full symphony, at the house, with Driss present. At the conclusion of the symphony, Philippe tries to get Driss to like classical music, with no luck. This leads to a scene where Driss tries to get Philippe to like his music. A dance scene ensues, which was hilarious. This film works, because the characters are believable and the acting was excellent. It felt real and was in fact based on a true story. This film ended on an emotional uptick, instead of a depressing downer. In the background, while the film was playing, I couldn’t help but think that someday, science, namely spinal research, is going to catch up to the point that someone like Philippe and the late Christopher Reeves, would not have to live out their lives paralyzed. Having digressed, the point of this film was that his handicap didn’t have to define who the person was, and people can still live fulfilling lives.
Highly Recommended
*****
