Friday, August 03, 2012

CAREGIVING - MAGNIFIQUE!

Spontaneous delight often derives from a simple afternoon experience being enveloped by my local independent movie theater's big screen.  For a couple of hours I was whisked away to France in the sights and sounds of the movie The Intouchables.  This true story is based on  the lives of a wealthy, paralyzed Parisian who befriends his Senegalese caretaker.




Positive, uplifting, life-affirming, upbeat and fun are just a few appropriately descriptive words for this film.

We're given the opportunity to see the human personal need for affection and the pleasure desired from the company of another.

We note the safety of distancing in seeking that individual connection if only by letter, (could be email, social media,) while fearing rejection should we meet in person.

We're exposed to the seeking of sensory and mental stimulation, excitement.

We recognize wanting to feel alive with anticipation so our existence has value, is meaningful, which everyone seeks -- whatever their condition, age, or status in life.



Action and adventure are part of this tale as is a brief account at the film's conclusion of the actual men's lives at the time the movie was completed.  There are spectacular colorful snowy mountain peaks and green valleys, also beckoning ocean scenes.

The actors are exceptional with the primary roles portrayed by Francois Cluzet, the quadriplegic who was paralyzed in a paragliding accident and hires a caretaker from the projects  remarkably played by Omar Sy.  Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano wrote and directed this highly honored film.

Music is an integral part of this tale, occasionally at the forefront, but often in the background accentuating the mood, bridging a range of melodies, rhythms, styles.  We hear some of the classical giants compositions Bach, Rimsky-Korsakov; current Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi whose music is very prevalent in the film -- music contrasts and influences for every generations popular music.   The film's songtrack list includes:

Intouchables Soundtrack Piano by Ludovico Einaudi


Earth, Wind and Fire - Boogie Wonderland - music in the film.



Here's a lady whose interpretative singing always tells a story as in this film.

Nina Simone "Feeling Good" 





The manner in which life's restrictions impose themselves on anyone with physical limitations are not shied away from in the telling of this story including brief but factual reference to the most intimate physical needs in body function.

My years of working primarily with adults -- increasingly an older aging group of men and women -- has always been based on an awareness that no one wants to be pitied, whatever their circumstance.   Along the way, we have become contemporaries in age.

I've served those along a lengthy continuum of personal financial wealth, including some  with little or no means, but likely none with quite the assets of the gentleman portrayed in this film.

There is wealth in this story that has nothing to do with dollars, pounds, pesos, or the euro, but does pertain to human interactions.

Some of us have been caregivers, are caregivers, may become caregivers.Some of us will be cared for by others.

We will all be better caregivers or recipients of care if we can be real and actually caring with one another without pity.

One final thought, The Intouchables film is a joy to view if only for entertainment value.


(Another excellent French film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was previously reviewed here and is highly recommended for viewing.)

17 comments:

  1. We do stress the downside of caregiving, don't we.
    I will watch the movie, which looks fun and entertaining.

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    1. Yes, caregivings downsides are often most frequently presented and are not to be minimized, but there can be upsides that each caregiver finds for themselves.

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  2. Wonderful that the film made you feel so good. I am happy for you. Dianne

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  3. I did read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and saw the movie, also. A true story that was riveting and sad. I might see The Intouchables later if it comes out in DVD on Netflix.

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  4. Very well, you've convinced me. Not one I can miss, obviously.

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  5. Thanks. I will seek this one out. We have a dearth of places nearby to view foreign films, but it seems a field trip is in order here.

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  6. Thank you for the the revues. I know I want to see The Intouchables and hope it comes to NetFlix. I will also add The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is available.

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  7. Wow!!!!! I hope both come to our local theaters -- lately I'm liking to go to the movies. But there's always Netflix!

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    1. Intouchables is in theaters now. Diving Bell was released in 2007, so DVD is probably the best source.

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  8. I DO want to see this despite the horrible review I saw of it a few days ago. It's had equally wonderful reviews. This, btw, is one reason why I really dislike most movie reviews. they're all about the review author, not about the movie. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!

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    1. I agree about professional critic reviews. Formidable film critic, Judith Crist, who died four days ago at age 90, reportedly said she simply wrote her personal perspective. NYT readers and TV viewers (when she was on NBC's "Today Show") would come to know her taste so might want to see those movies she liked, others would know they probably wouldn't like the movie, Crist explained.

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  9. Thanks for the rec. Dianne, I will try and catch we have not much choice in what is brought into NL, they think their audience are violent hormoned teenagers unfortunately.

    I loved Diving Bell, adored it.

    So I am sure I will enjoy this!

    XO
    WWW

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    1. Think you may have my name mixed with another blogger as am not Dianne -- though a lovely name. That's okay 'cause connecting names and blogs can be easily confused. I complicate matters on my blog by preferring to use a web name -- Joared. Glad to hear you enjoyed Diving Bell and thanks for stopping by to comment.

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  10. To Commenters – SPOILER ALERT – don’t read my comment if you have not seen the film!

    I really liked The Intouchables as you know and I had the trailer in my current post. I read the true story about the film. A documentary was made in 2003 about it and is being rerun on French TV. From what I read, in 1993, aristocrat Philippe Pozzo di Borgo had an accident while paragliding. His eldest brother got the title of duke and count. Philippe was the director of one of the most prominent Champagne companies (Pommery). His family is from Corsica and is one of the oldest families there. They owned historical castles and still have one in Normandy. The man who came to help him was an Algerian I believe called Abdel, who had been in jail. But for the movie I guess and to get the best actor they had to make changes, making the helper from Senegal. Philippe, born in 1951, wrote a book called “Le Second Souffle” (A Second Wind – I think it is on Amazon) which explained his accident and which was the base for the movie. He now lives near Essaouira (a very nice town by the sea near Marrakesh) in Morocco with his wife and children, and also lives in Paris. Abdel is also in Morocco.

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    1. Thanks so much for sharing the true story of the film. Movies often take considerable liberty with the actual facts as you note -- artistic or literary license. Would be interesting to read some of those participants accounts for comparison with the movie -- probably better to do after seeing the movie so as to not be disappointed as I've experienced with other movies and books.

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  11. Thanks for the reviews JoAnn. I'm going to check these out on Netflix....looks like something I'd enjoy. ~Joy

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  12. Dear Joared, thank you for stopping by my blog--for many reasons, but most of all because your being there, led me here to your blog where I read this marvelous review of a movie for which I saw the previews recently and knew I wanted to see it. And thank you, also, for introducing me to Nina Simone. I will get her CDs as her voice is haunting. Peace.

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