Jennifer Echeverry
9/29/2021
The Intouchables Movie Extra Credit Questions

What did you learn from this movie?
I feel like I learned so much from this movie. It really opened my eyes to how easily we, as a
society, are to group all people with disabilities under the same category without taking into
consideration their individual needs and wants. We are so quick to assume that they all have the
same restraints and limitations when they may be capable of so much more than we expect.

What “disabilities” do you see throughout this movie (both physical and mental)?
Throughout the movie I noticed disabilities such as loss of use of both arms and legs. In all
actuality, Philippe loss complete use of his whole body from the neck down. In regards to mental
disabilities, these are a lot harder to notice because they aren’t always visible at first sight but I
did notice Philip struggling with mental confusion (when experiencing ghost pains), depression,
and anxiety.

What one characteristic did you admire about Driss and one characteristic did you admire
about Philippe? Explain
One characteristic that I admire about Driss is his caring personality. No matter how much he
wanted to be able to not care, it was almost like he never could find it in his heart to turn his back
on others no matter the situation. This characteristic drives him to help others succeed in
reaching their goals. One characteristic that I admire about Philippe is his sense of humor.
Philippe never gave up on himself, even though so many of his closest friends and family did.
His sense of humor and quick wit came in handy when facing Driss’s insensitive jokes and
comments.

Do you think most people in similar situations are looking for pity?
No, I think people in this situation are not looking for pity but instead they are looking for
understanding, acceptance, and inclusivity. They want to be seen as much more than their
disabilities and given the chance to succeed like anyone else regardless of their disabilities or
their limitation.

How did the lives of the two characters change as a result of the time they spent together?
Yes, Driss became more responsible and trustworthy as he proved himself as a proper caregiver
for Philippe and eventually as a “father figure” for his cousins. Philippe also changed as a result
of his time spent with Driss. He was able to find love and happiness again. He also gained a uge
boost of confidence as a result of finding a new path in life.

Besides able-ism, what other types of privileges are evident in this movie?
In this movie, besides able-ism, I saw other types of privileges like white privilege,
socioeconomic privilege and transportation privilege. You can clearly see the difference in races
Jennifer Echeverry
9/29/2021
that live in the different parts of the city comparing between where Driss’s family lives and
where Philippe lives. Philippe lives in a predominantly white community with a much higher
socioeconomic status than Driss, because of this, Philippe’s neighborhood is much better taken
care of seems a lot safer than Driss’s neighborhood. Due to Philippe’s economic status, he also
has easier access to transportation than Driss and his family use public transportation to get
around.