Untouchable [Blu-ray]

Best French movie. Students love it!

FORMAT: Blu-RayUPC: 0-43396-41377-1RELEASED: 2013-03-05TITLE: The Intouchables (2011) • R • 1:52:18François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny, Audrey FleurotOlivier Nakache, Eric Toledano (Directors)Another fine illustration of the old tenet "things are not always as they appear". I seem to remember reading somewhere that this movie is the highest-grossing French-language film of ALL TIME — after watching it, it is easy to see why. This is the kind of character-driver, dialog-centric movie that the major Hollywood studios don't seem to make anymore — what, make a movie that relies on human interaction and emotion alone to drive the plot and to sustain the audience: you MUST be crazy! And, yet, that is EXACTLY what this fine example of movie-making does — by providing us with a glimpse into a very unusual, and extraordinary, friendship. A friendship of the VERY best kind (i.e.—a friendship that enriches, and enhances, the lives of BOTH participants). Do yourself a MAJOR favor and watch this movie (and, then go out and be a better friend). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.See the other reviews for more detail and/or other opinions regarding the plot of the movie.VIDEO: 1.85:1 • Color • 1080p • MPEG-4 AVC (25.9 Mbps)This film's image has some scenes that are so sharp, that it is almost as though you are looking through a window — on the other hand, it also has some scenes (not many, but a few nonetheless) that are ever-so-slightly soft (which, admittedly, might be attributable to the source elements). Even so, this is still one of the best film transfers to blu-ray that you are ever going to see — with its excellent contrast, its superior shadow-detail, its finely rendered colors (colours — for the non-Americans out there) and its TOTAL absence of artifacts (e.g.—lines, specs, fluctuations, etc.). Overall, this movie's presentation on blu-ray has AMAZING picture quality, and should satisfy all but the VERY pickiest viewers.AUDIO: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (French, 48 KHz, 24-bit)The ONLY language available for the soundtrack on this disc is French (which didn't bother me, because I prefer to have ALL of the movies that I experience presented with the Language in which they were made — and, therefore would have selected the French soundtrack anyway [along with English subtitles] — but, it may be an issue for some others). Now, as to the quality of that soundtrack: it features really well-recorded (and, fantastic sounding) music — though it unfortunately doesn't have very much activity in the surrounds (which, honestly, is to be expected with a dialog-driven drama such as this). Speaking of which: the dialog is very clear (though I didn't understand it) and well placed across the front three channels. Considering that this is a dialog-driven movie — without any gunfire or explosions — its audio presentation has MUCH more than acceptable sound quality — and should please the vast majority of listeners.EXTRAS: Deleted ScenesNone of the extras were reviewed.

I did not read any reviews before watching this movie, and I'm glad I didn't. But if you are reading this before watching the movie, I hope this will be a good thing! Anyway, I did not find anything racist about this film at all. I lived in Paris for two years. It is, like most large cosmopolitan cities, a cross-configuration of many cultures. Yes, you have the iconic glamour of the boulevards, the Seine and the monuments, and you also have large neighborhoods made up of struggling immigrant populations. There is wealth and status and there is poverty and crime. In this film, you see a character from each of these worlds cross paths, and the events and the emotions that ensue are a joy to behold and to experience. Okay, so the wealthy guy is white, and the black guy is poor. It's not meant to be a stereotype. Francois Cluzet's character is from the aristocracy and Omar Sy's character is an immigrant. And when you watch the film, ask yourself which one you would rather be. Ask yourself which one is happier, or more fortunate. So let's move on. At first glance, it seems that this is going to be a heavy film, but what makes it work is the humor. There is a warmly comic element throughout. In several parts I laughed out loud, loudly. And there are more than a few surprises to keep you on your toes. The ending is superb; you wonder where it is going and where it goes is just fine. There's even a nagging little loose end that is tied up in the final scene that is nicely symbolic of the transformation that has taken place within the character played by Omar Sy. God, what an infectious laugh, smile and genuine affability he has! Francois Cluzet is an immensely talented, seasoned actor. Few actors come to mind whose emotions seem absolutely real rather than acted. On a final note, I have seen many reviews where the viewer wishes that the film were dubbed. I would respectfully urge you to watch the film with subtitles even if you are hesitant. It is impossible to get the true feel of the characters' personalities otherwise. Watch the movie twice if you have to in order to get it all. I wouldn't mind watching it again myself. All and all a wonderful film. I highly recommend it, whether you speak French or not.