"UNTOUCHABLE" - Film ANALYSIS

Recently, in our media class we watched the movie "Untouchable". This is a comedy drama movie, directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano in 2011. In addition, the movie is said to be abased on a true story. 

The movie is based around Philippe, an extremely wealthy man who, after a paragliding accident has become a quadriplegic. Philippe controversially employes Driss, a poor, unemployed man, as his full-time carer. Driss initially had no intention of being hired, and had applied for the job simply to be eligible for unemployment benefit. The two form an unlikely friendship as their relationship develops through Driss' work as Philippe's carer. Driss discovers that Philippe has had an epistolary relationship with a woman named Eléonore for 6 months, and encourages Philippe to meet up with her. Philippe agrees to meet Eléonore, however leaves at the last minute, as he fears her reaction to his disability. Philippe and Driss take a weekend away, and end up going paragliding. 

Throughout the film we are presented with a number of representations of disability, race, class, ethnicity, age and issues.

The representation of disability is shown the most in the moving image, due to the fact that the main character is disabled. The representation is in quite a realistic way as the ups and downs of Phillipe's life are shown and the problems he has to face due to his disability are explained. However, the stereotypes of people with disabilities being helpless and sad is broken as the character is mostly seen to be happy, open to new ideas and carrying out his hobbies such as paragliding. 

Race and ethnicity  is another theme represented in the movie. I think the way in which ethnicity and race is represented, is shown to be very different from each other. This can be seen, in particular when we are presented with he straight away assumptions of black people being dangerous and drug dealers, for example, in the scene when weapons are shown in Driss' bag. 

Class is however, presented as also very contrasting. Phellipe is a very rich character, living in a big mansion and having luxury cars in his large driveway. Driss however, is living in a run down flat, with a large family, struggling to make money for things such as food. This shows the struggle of the different classes, and makes audience aware that this issues do exist and are a problem to many families.