French Cinema - Intouchables

I'm a little late to the party with this one - Sadly I've lost touch with foreign cinema since moving away from Manchester and not having a wonderful arthouse cinema on my doorstep anymore!

Intouchables was well worth the wait though!  It tells the story of a rich disabled man, Philippe, looking to recruit a new carer.  Driss, recently released from prison and living in the suburbs, is just looking for a signature to prove that he has attended the interview so that he can continue claiming his benefits.

When he gets called back to trial for the job, a unique bond forms between the pair.  Driss does not approach Philippe's disability as others do.  Instead he injects a dark sense of humour into the proceedings, asking personal questions that make Philippe feel human and alive again, rather than being in the way, or a vessel for another person's pity. 

A tale of this kind always runs the risk of being too "Hallmark" - two people becoming friends against the odds in a forced scenario that comes across as insincere.  Intouchables side-steps this pitfall, though.  The idea that these two protagonists could become allies is made believable by some fine acting performances, a subtle script and excellent cinematography.

Realism is kept through sparing use of "shaky-cam", especially as we follow Driss though the uncertain world of the suburbs, yet dramatic scenes are static, allowing them to resonate.

Close-up shots allow the actors to shine and reveal subtle, complex emotion without the need for elaborate dialogue.  For example, in a scene where Driss shares his passion for disco music with Philippe, We can see that Philippe feels alive through watching Driss dance, and yet the pain at not being able to join him is ever visible in his eyes.

I also love a film that isn't afraid to allow the camera to pull back and show an action set-piece in full, rather than relying on close-up, fast-paced edits to create momentum.  The car chase in the opening sequence is no less dramatic for it.

The humour is what makes this film so heartwarming, though.  There are some fine moments that I won't dare spoil, as Driss explores Philippe's disability, and the two men's worlds collide.  I will say only this: scalding tea, earlobes, modern art, spoon-to-the-face, singing tree, moustache.

...lest I forget the stunning Ludovico Einaudi soundtrack!

BREXIT - My Personal Views

I woke up early today - I couldn't sleep - to the news that the UK is now en route to leave the EU.

I usually try not to mix my blog with my personal politics, and have endeavoured during this crucial campaign to do nothing more than share information on my own social media, rather than pointing the finger and accusing others of being wrong where I believe I am right.  This is because, whilst my views on the subject are strong, I do not know everything.  I also appreciate that I have friends, loved-ones and colleagues who probably voted to leave.  I do not want to alienate or vilify these people.  I will try to refrain from hyperbole, but I feel this will be tough, so I apologise in advance, but I do feel that given the nature of my blog I should make some form of comment.

I don't know what it going to happen following this referendum, and I hope that my own views and the research of others is wrong.  I hope that this result turns out to be the best result for the citizens of the UK, and the generations that will follow.

I also don't know how to be British anymore.  I feel incredibly ashamed of my country at this moment.

This is because I am shocked that a nation of people who cannot truthfully know the consequences of an action, would vote in a majority to put all of us in the firing line.  This is an irreversible decision, so in a scenario where decisive statistics are lacking, Remain should always have been the more sensible option, given the stakes.

I am also disappointed because I personally encountered nothing but closed-mindedness amongst the Leave supporters, where my Remain counterparts, I found, were mostly receptive to the other side of the debate but voted against it where they found the arguments to be poorly formulated or outright unfounded.

The tactics of the Leave campaign have been disgraceful.  The untruths that I have seen touted in the past few weeks as "fact" by "experts", tabloid newspapers and politicians alike are astounding.  The number of these that have then been shared wider via social media, legitimising the lies, has just left me sad.

The saddest part of all is that I do believe that a large part of this campaign has been fuelled by pure and simple hatred.  I am not naive - I always knew that this hatred was there; it exists in almost every country - but to know that such a large percentage of my country harbours this hatred is devastating to me.

I just don't know how to be British anymore.

I remain a citizen of Europe.

Best of luck, everyone!