The latest collaboration from directors and co-writers
Oliver Nakache and Eric Toledano following 2011’s Intouchables is another story of human interest this time a cross
between a serious social drama and a romantic comedy. It involves the life of
an illegal migrant originally from Senegal Samba Cisse who has lived with his
uncle in France since he arrived ten years ago and has virtually qualified as a
Chef. After a routine police check he is detained not knowing if he can stay in
France or if he will have to return to his family back in Senegal to whom he
regularly sends money enabling their survival. Placed in a detention centre he
meets Alice an emotionally vulnerable inexperienced advocate who along with her
sister will represent Samba at a tribunal. A relationship gradually develops
between the damaged Alice and the handsome trainee chef.
 |
| Omar Sy as Samba. |
 |
| Charlotte Gainsbourg as Alice. |
Although ostensibly a comedy we get to witness the struggle
that migrant’s have in rich European country’s that refuses to grant them papers
that would make their stay legal but are prepared to exploit them. During the
movie we meet others in the same position as Samba. There’s Jonas who followed
the love of his life to France with the intention of marriage, we meet Wilson,
supposedly a Brazilian, who teams up with Samba when he loses his job at the restaurant
after his arrest. They both do the rounds of ‘low wage’ employers who do not
look too closely at their forged ID cards!
 |
| Samba shares a light hearted moment with Wilson. |
The film stars Omar Sy as Samba, an artiste who became the
first person of African descent to win a Cesar Award for Best Actor for his
role in the Intouchables and who also
appeared in the extremely enjoyable French comedy Micmacs in 2009. Movie Ramble
favourite Charlotte
Gainsbourg plays Alice with another award winning actor Tahar
Rahim, best known for his role of Malik in Jacques
Audiards A Prophet (2009) plays Wilson. I
really enjoyed this movie and would suggest the negative critiques that you
have probable read should be ignored - just enjoy this well-meaning film and the
joyously engaging performance from Omar Sy.
No comments:
Post a Comment