Intouchables

Before I came home for Christmas, I went to see Intouchables -- the most popular film in France of the year and second most popular film in France of all time. I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, some American film critics have called the film racist since it depicts the growing friendship between a white, wealthy boss and a black, poor caretaker, or as one critic put it, a "jolly house slave of yore." Personally I think the American reviewers are being short-sighted and finding offense where European audiences simply wouldn't. What I found offensive was that a black actor was hired to play the caretaker when in the real life story, the man is actually Arabic, but that's another issue entirely.

Anyway, my favorite scene was at the beginning. I won't spoil it for you, but just know it involves a police escort and an Earth, Wind & Fire song that I could not get out of my head all Christmas break... or stop singing in the car while cruising down a traffic-less freeway in Arizona for the first time in three months.